Escargot Sombreros in Saffron Cream Sauce
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Escargot Sombreros in Saffron Cream Sauce

By November 10, 2015

The flavors in this dish are complex: cilantro and cheese flavor the snails, lemon and saffron scent the pasta, and the cream sauce also is aromatic with saffron. The sombreros are a new twist on the classic cheese-filled pasta, ravioli. Everything up to the final assembly of this dish can be done in advance. The sombreros can be made up to six hours in advance, as can the sauce.

Ingredients

Instructions

To make the pasta: Cut the zest off of two lemons with a zester or vegetable peeler and chop fine. Juice all four lemons and combine with the saffron and zest in a small saucepan. Reduce by half and allow to cool.

Place the flours in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a dough hook and add the eggs and egg yolks along with the cooked lemon mixture. Knead several minutes, until the dough is smooth and elastic, then add the oil. If it seems crumbly and dry, add an additional egg yolk; if too sticky, add a little flour. Form the dough into a ball and wrap with plastic wrap. Let stand for about 2 hours before rolling.

To make the filling: Marinate the snails in the white wine for 1 hour. Combine the cheese, pesto, and egg yolk and place in a pastry bag fitted with a large plain tip. Set aside.

To make the sombreros: Cut the pasta dough into four pieces. Roll out the pasta, one piece at a time, in a pasta machine until it is set on the thinnest setting. Cut the sheets with a 3-inch round crinkle-edge cutter. Place a snail and 1 teaspoon of filling to one side on each circle. Brush the edges with beaten egg , fold the circles in half, and press the edges together to seal. Pull the sides of the edge together to form a brim shape. Set aside until ready to cook.

To make the sauce: Saute the shallot and garlic in butter for several minutes over medium heat. Add the fish stock and white wine and cook over high heat until reduced by half. Add the heavy cream, basil, and saffron and simmer for 15 minutes. Adjust seasoning.

To serve: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the sombreros and cook for 2 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on towels. Pool saffron sauce on warm serving plates, reserving a little. Toss the reserved sauce with the dried tomatoes, olives, and sombreros. Pipe Red Chili Paint in a spiral on each plate and use a toothpick or the point of a sharp knife to pull through the sauce in a radial direction, center outwards, then draw from the edge of the sauce to the center, creating a feathered design. Arrange five sombreros in the center of each plate. Garnish each plate with two pieces of toast.

Cilantro Pesto

Grind all ingredients to a paste in a blender or processor. Store in a glass jar in the refrigerator until ready to use.

Red Chili Paint

Heat the oil in a small skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic and saute about 3 minutes, until tender but not browned. Sprinkle in the chili powder, stirring constantly, and immediately add the water. Stir until well blended. Remove from the skillet and pour into a blender or processor. Puree. Force the mixture through a fine-meshed sieve and put in a squeeze bottle. Store in the refrigerator until needed.

Cumin Seed and Pepper Toasts

Preheat the oven to 400 F. Beat the eggs and oil together and dip the bread slices in the mixture, coating both sides and shaking off the excess. Mix the spices together and sprinkle on both sides of the toasts.

Use the soft butter to heavily butter a baking sheet and place the toasts in a single layer on the sheet. Bake for 10 to 11 minutes, turning once, or until golden brown. The toasts keep very well in a canister, and can be reheated.

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