Escargot Vol-au Vent

Ingredients:

For the herb butter-

4 to 5 garlic cloves, peeled and finely minced

2 teaspoons kosher salt

8 ounces unsalted butter, at room temperature

1/2 cup finely minced Italian parsley

1/2 cup finely minced chives

2 tablespoons minced shallots

Pinch of freshly grated black pepper

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

1 tablespoon Pernod

24 ?very large? top-quality canned snails, drained

1 sheet puff pastry, homemade or store-bought.  You can also buy pre-made puff pastry shells and just stick them in the oven.  The second photo is made with pre-made shells and has 3 escargot inside.

Directions

1. Mince the garlic and salt together and crush with the blade of a knife to make a paste. Put the butter in a large bowl (or the bowl of a mixer fitted with the paddle attachment), add the garlic paste, and cream together.

2. Add the parsley, chives, shallots, pepper, lemon juice, and Pernod and mix well. Remove the bowl from the mixer and use a spatula to make certain the ingredients are distributed throughout the butter.

3. The butter can be piped or spooned over the snails ? if desired, transfer it to a pastry bag without a tip or with a large plain tip. If using snail dishes instead of snail shells, place a snail in each indentation and pipe or spoon about 2 teaspoons of butter over each. If using snail shells, place a snail in each shell and pipe in about 2 teaspoons of butter.

4. Refrigerate for at least an hour, or up to 12 hours. (Any extra herb butter is wonderful melted over meats or fish.  This is so good, I may actually keep some in the fridge for anytime I am cooking meat or veggies or….)

Direction for cooking escargot in puff pastry:

1. Preheat the oven to 450°F (230°C). With a round cutter that is about 1/4 inch larger in diameter than the indentations in the snail dishes, cut 24 rounds from the puff pastry.  I used my star cookie cutter and an aperitif glass.

2. Line a baking sheet with a Silpat or sheet of parchment paper. Arrange the puff pastry rounds on the baking sheet.

3. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes or until the pastry is golden brown. Remove from the oven and let cool.

4. Bake the snails in their dishes for 5 to 8 minutes, or until the butter is bubbling. Top each snail with a round of puff pastry. and heat for about 30 seconds.

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