Guiding guests out of the “mental maze” of habits: this is the goal of Heston Blumenthal, who has overturned the “fundamentals” of English porridge with one of the most irreverent signature dishes in haute cuisine. His version? Made entirely from snails.
All photos from the restaurant's official website
The dish
If we challenged you to make a savory porridge, what ingredients would you use in the recipe? Vegetables, perhaps legumes; at most, fresh cheese or dried fruit, to vary the temperature and texture respectively. Hardly anyone would think of making—let alone serving in a restaurant—a version made entirely from snails. But Heston Blumenthal, a three-Michelin-starred chef who has become legendary for his trompe-l'oeil dishes with shocking fillings (such as “fake fruit” made from meat) and tasting menus where every bite shocks the taste buds numbed by the usual gourmet fare, has done just that. It was 2003 when the rebellious genius of English cuisine turned the “fundamentals” of this well-known dish, as ubiquitous in the English breakfast as eggs, bacon, and sandwiches, on its head.
His goal? To train the senses to escape the mental maze of habits: “Part of our expectations about food are conditioned by language: we eat porridge for breakfast, often with something sweet—sugar, honey, jam—yet porridge itself is not sweet,” the great chef points out in a special feature in The Guardian. “Oats are a grain, just like rice, and can be used in a similar way.” In this specific case, shifting the focus to animal protein. On the other hand, Blumenthal does not fail to observe how snail caviar represents—in his opinion—a rather obsolete trend in 1980s luxury dining: "It didn't have much flavor and popped in your mouth, like tapioca. A divisive food." Here, then, is another revolution: the return to snail meat itself, accompanied by mushroom butter that enhances its musky notes when needed.
Additional trivia: the dish at The Fat Duck is not considered a first course, but rather an appetizer, and it returned to the menu about a year ago. The restaurant has always played on its divisive reputation; however, those who try it are universally impressed. Here is the recipe, taken from an article by the chef in The Guardian.
Heston Blumenthal's snail porridge recipe
Serves 6
For the butter
- 25 g whole garlic cloves, peeled
- 40 g button mushrooms
- 40 g shallots
- 200 g unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 25 g Dijon mustard
- 20 g chopped almonds
- 5 g salt
- 100 g chopped parsley
- 40 g Parma ham
Blanch and refresh the garlic in boiling water three or four times (this may seem excessive, but otherwise it will remain bitter and harsh on the palate). Finely chop the mushrooms; peel and finely chop the shallots. Heat 50 g of butter in a pan and sauté the mushrooms and shallot for five to ten minutes, until softened. Transfer to a food processor with the other ingredients and blend until smooth. This will take a few minutes, as you will need to stop the food processor at intervals to scrape down the sides.
Once blended, pass the mixture through a fine mesh strainer onto a sheet of plastic wrap and roll it up to form a cylinder. Store in the refrigerator (it also keeps well in the freezer). Then, simply cut wedges of butter as desired.
For the snail broth
Chef's tip: “Although snails are usually sold cooked, they benefit from additional cooking in broth and herbs, which add extra flavor to the broth.”
- 500 g chicken wings (optional)
- Snails (as many as you like)
- 1 carrot, peeled and thinly sliced *
- 1 onion, peeled and thinly sliced
- 1 fennel bulb, thinly sliced
- 1 stalk of celery, thinly sliced
- 100 g champignon mushrooms, thinly sliced
- 2 cloves of garlic
- Mixed bouquet of bay leaves, thyme, and rosemary
Coarsely chop the chicken wings (if using), place them in a pot of cold water and put them over medium heat. Bring to a boil, remove immediately from the heat, drain in a colander, rinse the wings and return them to the pot.
Return the pot to the heat, covering them with water. Add the snails to taste and bring the liquid to a boil. Skim off any foam and lower the heat to a gentle simmer. Add the remaining ingredients and simmer over low heat for three hours. Remove from the heat, allow to cool slightly, and strain through a cheesecloth, reserving the liquid.
To serve
- 72 cooked snails (or 12 per person, but obviously adjust to taste)
- 10 g Parma ham
- 1 small fennel bulb
- 200 ml snail broth (alternatively, use a stock cube or even water)
- 60 g good quality oat flakes
- 70 g of the butter obtained previously
- Salt and pepper
- 1 teaspoon sherry vinegar
- 3 teaspoons walnut oil
Coarsely chop the snails and set aside. Finely chop the prosciutto. Slice the fennel as thinly as possible and set aside. Heat the broth in a pot over high heat and, once it simmers, add the oats. Stir until the liquid is completely absorbed. Remove from the heat and stir in the snail butter and snails, mixing well. You may need to return the pot to the heat, but be careful: if it gets too hot, the butter will melt, making the porridge grainy. Season generously.
Divide the porridge between six plates and garnish with the prosciutto. Dress the fennel with the vinegar and walnut oil, arrange on top of the porridge, and serve.
