Escargots au Beurre (Snails in Garlic Butter)

Snails baked in a fragrant garlic-parsley butter, a Les Halles starter built for mopping up with bread.

Ingredients

• 2 dozen canned snails, drained
• 1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened
• 6 cloves garlic, finely minced
• 1/4 cup finely chopped flat-leaf parsley
• 2 shallots, finely minced
• 1 tbsp brandy
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• Crusty baguette, for serving

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 400 F. In a bowl mash the softened butter with the garlic, parsley, shallots and brandy. Season well with salt and pepper.
2. Place a snail into each cup of an escargot dish (or a small ovenproof gratin dish).
3. Top each snail generously with the garlic butter so the cups are filled.
4. Bake until the butter is bubbling and fragrant, about 10 to 12 minutes.
5. Serve immediately with plenty of baguette to soak up the butter.

Notes

Adapted from Anthony Bourdain’s Les Halles Cookbook; the butter, he noted, is the real point of escargots.