Before delving more into the question of how to cook the snails, it would be nice to imagine what would have to deal.It's rather unusual inhabitants of the green shrubs and ponds.Snails different body structure, shell shape, as well as its gastronomic features.
It is unusual for residents of Russian food, although many people have long eaten snails enjoying their taste and beneficial properties of dietary meat.Take a chance to try the snail can not everyone, but those who have tried, this had never regretted.
Who are the snails and what their lifestyle
Snail - a mollusk that has a hard outer shell, it refers to the class of gastropods.The body of a mollusk consists of a head, foot and visceral sac.Move the feet using the snail, which tends to decrease.Foot for better sliding on the different surfaces allocates a lot of mucus.The shell snail spiral twisted, there is splanchnic bag.
Of special note is the useful properties of slime secreted by snails.It is a kind of antiseptic, has healing and regenerative properties.It is used to accelerate the tightening of wounds and cuts.Miracle properties are not yet fully understood, but it is undeniable potential for the treatment of diseases in the future.Incredibly, the snail can completely restore the ruined shell using mucus.
Clams usually live in small groups, preferring to crawl to feed the dead of night when no one sees them, and they are relatively safe.They eat mostly plants, leaves, young shoots, but not disdain, and little worms can eat the larvae and other representatives of small insects.
knotted marriage snails and night.And they have no division into male and female, all snails are able to reproduce.With mucus partners attach to each other and carry out pairing.Snails multiply rapidly, putting a lot of eggs.
snails are often large and obtrusive problem for gardeners.Gathering in a group, they destroy the young shoots of the plant home cultures.For example, the snails can eat a huge amount of grape leaves and just a few days to destroy the vineyard.
struggle with them is difficult because of their lightning reproduction.Nothing else but how to cook snails, remains.
as a main ingredient snails use the French, Spaniards and Italians, considering them a delicacy.But in our country it is possible to eat these little pests, simply catch gastropods more and find out how to cook snails.
Useful properties of cooked meat snail
snail meat is full of protein and B vitamins, so it is easily digestible product and is suitable for diets.No matter how to cook snails, their meat will still contain useful amino acids.
In addition, it contains trace minerals: calcium, magnesium and iron.
In taste sensations product is quite specific, but still delicious.Snail meat is soft, but at the same time elastic.It goes well with dry white wine, champagne, but fit and beer.
In some countries (for example, in the Czech Republic) there are many farms that specialize in breeding of snails.At a special site created conditions for shellfish food and protection from predators.
Species shellfish
So, what species of snails exist and whether they are suitable for cooking?The most delicious is considered snails.They ate for a long time, and the rich and the poor.They are not a delicacy, and are a natural food for all people.In order to eat snails, did not have to have a lot of money.People just caught them in the bush, salted and cooked over a fire and then enjoyed a good taste of dietary saturated protein meat.
Experienced "ulitkoedy" usually do not give advice on how to cook the snails Achatina, because even in Africa - the country of origin of these clams, they rarely eat.They are large in size, are ground and can reach the size of a man's hand.Their meat is tough and tasteless, so Achatina more suitable for cultivation as an exotic pet than for human consumption.
The food is also suitable garden snail, other than grape color and shape of the shell, size and habitat.Garden snail can be found in Russia, mainly in forest areas in the thickets of shrubs.In the cities, they are rare.
There snails that live in the rivers, they have a darker shell.Catch them a little heavier - a river snails.How to cook them or terrestrial snails, there is no difference in principle.
How to eat snails
eat this delicacy with special instruments: eskargotnogo tweezers - pliers to hold the strong shell, thin forks with flat teeth to extract the meat.Snail eating whole, without cutting into slices.It is permissible to drink neat shell of the resulting juice.After all, before you cook snails, cooks often lay in the sink a mixture of butter, garlic and herbs, which gives the dish a unique taste.
Cleansing snails ventricles through diet
Before cooking garden snails, or any other, it is necessary to clean stomachs, planted on a special diet.
For this they should be placed in a small container (bowl, pan), from which they could not crawl out previously by pouring a little flour on the bottom.1 kg of snails must be no more than 2 tablespoons.It treats thoroughly clean the inside of snails, and then the meat will get rid of peculiar smell and unpleasant taste, acquire good taste.
On the first day give a snail specified flour, the second day of its amount reduced by half.On the third day of the snails are not fed.Periodically sprinkle shellfish water, so they are not lost, because they are necessary for the preparation of the living.
After that, the snails should be thoroughly washed and cleaned the sink with a brush (you can use unnecessary toothbrush).
remove excess mucus salt
next stage before cooking snails at home is to remove them from the slime.To this washed shellfish are placed in a basin, the bottom of which is sprinkled with a thin layer of the salt, for two hours.Snails will abundantly secrete mucus.After this, once again rinsed with cold water.Now they are ready to cook directly.
snail preparing an array of delicacies soup, caviar, flavored spicy sauce, stuffed snails, steamed in garlic sauce, oven baked with basil and more.But how to cook snails at home without using sophisticated professional equipment, which is accustomed to any experienced chef, not inventing elaborate recipes?Just fry or cook the clams, cook the sauce and enjoy the delicacy.
cooking fried snails
Nothing complicated is how to cook the snails, no.They can fry in a pan ordinary.Pre-need to sprinkle with salt and pepper clams.Add a little oil and butter, a few milliliters of dry white wine, put back the snails.Then fry, covered, for 5-7 minutes.
That's all fried snails are ready for use.Meat is a surprisingly soft and gentle.It should not be too perederzhivat snails on fire, they do not require a long heat treatment.
Fried snails: the second method
Prev while cooking live snails, shells must be compacted in a special oil garlic sauce, which will give a spicy flavor and aroma.To make it, you need to mix the soft butter, your favorite fresh herbs (parsley, mint, basil), chopped garlic in arbitrary proportions.
Stuff shells with the mixture, and send them to the pan, carefully laying down the shell.
boiled and lightly fried snails
Another way to cook snails at home - this is their preliminary cooking before frying in a pan.After boiling water in a saucepan drop to the snails and cook for about 5 minutes, preferably 3 minutes.Fry in butter for 3-4 minutes under the lid closed.
Meat cooked in such a way as to be mild, but more flexible.It's a great snack, as well as a separate dish goes well with dry wine.
How to cook snails on the grill or in the Barbecue
considered most delicious snails cooked on the grill.Smoke flavoring some smoked meat, why it becomes more fragrant.For the preparation of snails on the grill no special preparation is needed.
Pre-salted and peppered snails placed on the grate holes up, then roasted on the fire for 7 minutes.In the process of frying fat can be watered snails, impaled on a skewer and melted over the coals.
Do not be afraid when the snails begin unpleasant "sizzle" under the influence of temperature - it's okay, just out excess moisture.
snail meat is particularly tasty when it dipped into the sauce.It goes well with him any fresh herbs, garlic, mayonnaise, sour cream, soy sauce, butter, wine.
Whichever method is chosen for preparation of snails, must remember an important rule: do not overdo them on the fire, the meat because this can become stiff and not so good.Although in our country are not yet fully prepared for all the taste experiments, but for those who have time to evaluate the dishes from snails - a delicacy and is the best delicacy.
