Black Forest Escargot Soup

A German dinner party soup. Badische Schneckensuppe was the house specialty of the Zum Ritter in in Durbach. If you don't like escargot, use extra mushrooms instead. My dinner guests couldn't tell the difference between the minced escargot and the minced mushroom and there was not a drop of soup left over. I used extra Pernod because I did not have aniseed.

• Ready In: 1 hr 40 mins
• Serves: 4-6

Ingredients

• 1⁄4 cup unsalted butter
• 2  tablespoons  finely minced shallots
• 1  tablespoon  finely minced garlic
• 1⁄2 lb mushroom, finely minced
• 1  cup riesling wine
• 1  cup beef broth
• 1  cup chicken broth
• 1  cup creme fraiche or 1  cup heavy cream
• 1 (7 1/2ounce) can  escargot, drained and very finely minced (reserve liquid)
• 1  tablespoon  minced fresh chives
• 1  tablespoon  minced fresh parsley
• 1⁄4 teaspoon  finely ground anise seed
• 2  egg yolks, lightly beaten
• 2  teaspoons Pernod (optional)

• Beurre Manie

• 1  tablespoon unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1  tablespoon  sifted all-purpose flour

Directions

1. Beurre Manie: Combine butter and flour in a small bowl and blend well.
2. Soup: Melt butter in a large heavy sauce pan over low heat, add shallot and cook 5 minutes.
3. Stir in garlic, cook 1-2 minutes, add mushrooms and cook 15 minutes, stirring constantly.
4. Pour in wine, broths and creme fraiche, simmer 20 minutes.
5. Stir in escargot, reserved liquid, chives, parsley and aniseed.
6. Pinch off bits of Beurre Manie and whisk into soup, one at a time.
7. Beat 1 tbsp of hot soup into the egg yolks, add 3 more tbsp one at a time, whisking vigorously.
8. Add egg mixture to soup, stir in Pernod and let soup "mellow" over low heat (do not boil) 1-2 minutes.