Snails Milanese Style (Lombardy)

Appetizers

Ingredients

Large live snails- 3 dozen

Coarse Salt

Wine vinegar

Olive oil- 1/2 cup

Butter- 1/4 cup

Crushed garlic- 1 clove

Anchovy fillets, finely chopped- 4-6

Fennel seeds- 4

Parsley, finely chopped- 2-3 sprigs

Onion, finely chopped- 1 small

Flour-1 tsp

Dry white wine- 1 cup

Salt and Pepper

Grated nutmeg

Drop the snails into a large bowl or pan of cold water to which you have added some coarse salt and a tablespoon of vinegar. Stir thoroughly with the hands. Repeat this operation, changing the water, salt and vinegar four times or until the water is clear. Wash in running water until the last piece of scum has disappeared.

Drop the snails into a large pan of cold wayer and bring to a boil over high heat. Cook for 10 minutes, skimming foam off the surface as soon as it rises. Drain and cool. Take the snails out of their shells, removing the black bits from each snail.

Heat the oil and butter together in a deep frying pan and brown the garlic clove; discard it. Add the anchovies, fennel seeds, parsley and onion. Saute until mixture turns brown. Sprinkle with flour and stir until it is completely incorperated. Add the snails. Again stir so that the snails are mixed into the sauce, then stir in the wine, salt, pepper and a dash of grated nutmeg. Cook over a low heat for 1 hour, stirring occasionally. Replace the snails in their shells and arrange them in snail plates. Pour the sauce over the snails and serve at once.

Serve 6-12 snails per person.