Burgundian Escargots With Spaghetti

A French recipe I had to re-invent to get the taste I wanted. Do try this, there must be escargot lovers on Zaar!! Keep in mind that Dr Peter D'Adamo in his "Eat Right for Your (blood) Type" recommends escargots/snails for ALL blood types!!! So it must be good for us! With a salad of mixed greens and herbs, this is a main meal.

• Ready In: 55 mins
• Serves: 4-6

Ingredients

• 12 -16  ounces spaghetti (dry weight, 400-500g)
• 5  tablespoons olive oil
• 1  sweet onion, quite large, chopped
• 1⁄2 lb mushroom, cleaned and stalks trimmed*
• 4  anchovy fillets, straight from the tin, not rinsed, chopped
• 1  tablespoon garlic, finely chopped (or more, to taste)
• 2  teaspoons cornstarch or 2  teaspoons cornflour
• 2  tablespoons lemon juice (freshly squeezed, or use lime juice which is even better)
• 1  cup creme fraiche (or thick sour cream)
• 14  ounces  snails (usually 2 x 200g tins for me, i.e. 400 g)
• 3  tablespoons parsley, finely chopped
• 1⁄2 cup walnuts, toasted in a pan, chopped
• 4  tablespoons parmigiano-reggiano cheese (or Pecorino)
• 1  tablespoon black pepper, coarse (or more)
• 1⁄2 teaspoon salt (to taste)

Directions

1. Put a fairly deep serving dish in a warming oven to heat.
2. Fill a large pot with water, add salt, and put on to boil for the pasta.
3. Heat the oil and fry the onion until pale yellow. Slice the mushrooms and add. (You can use any type of mushrooms available to you).
4. Keep the heat quite high and let the mushrooms cook through. If there is still liquid left in the pot, just leave it. Pull of heat for a moment.
5. Don't rinse the anchovies: take out of the oil and chop. The taste will not be discernable in the end product. Add the chopped anchovies to the onion and mushrooms, add garlic, and stir through.
6. Mix the cornflour into the lemon or lime juice in a small bowl.
7. Reduce heat of your stove plate, and add the crème fraiche with the cornflour-lemon juice. Stir in; heat should now be low.
8. Add the drained snails and stir through until everything is hot and the sauce comes to a bare simmer and thickens.
9. Remove from heat and carefully fork in the parsley, walnuts, Parmesan and pepper. Add salt, stir, and taste: it might need more salt. You might also want to add more lemon juice.
10. *Walnuts: chop coarsely and roast briefly in a small pan.
11. Cover with a lid, pull aside, and now cook the spaghetti until al dente -- usually no more than 8 - 11 minutes.
12. Drain the spaghetti in a colander, then top back into its large pot. Add the snail sauce and fold in well and evenly.
13. Take out the warmed serving dish, and tip in the whole lot.
14. You could carve over more parmesan shavings, scatter with extra parsley, and sprinkle with finely chopped spring onions.