SC - Period snail recipes

[Robin Carroll-Mann]

These are the only period Spanish recipes for snails that I have seen.  
There are none in de Nola.


Source: Diego Granado, _Libro Del Arte De Cozina_, 1599

Translation: Lady Brighid ni Chiarain of Tethba (Robin Carroll-Mann)


DE LOS CARACOLES -- Of the Snails


There are many sorts of snails, and all have four round horns, with a 
little head on top: they are lubricous and xxx and without eyes, and 
leave a trail where they pass: they have a shell made of stripes, and 
there are large ones and small ones, colored ones and white ones: they 
are gathered twice in the year, in Autumn and in the Spring: the little 
ones are taken in the month of July, and through all the Autumn on the 
grape vines and on other herbs: the best ones are those from fennel.


PARA LIMPIAR, PURGAR, Y CONSERVAR LOS CARACOLES -- To 
Clean, Purge, and Preserve the Snails


Take the large snails in the month of February through all of May, and 
from August until mid-October: in which times the air is temperate: 
although to preserve them do not gather them until after the month of 
July, and then put them in a spacious and humid habitation, in which 
there are bundles or branches of little trees of fennel, broom, and others=
, 
and then let them go where they will, repeatedly cleaning the habitation 
of their dung, because bad odors will cause them to die, and when they 
have been for all the month of November in this habitation, finding them 
closed will be the signal that they have been purged, and then put them 
in barrels, or in other vessels: and in this manner in cool places they ar=
e 
kept all Winter: also, they are found closed, after having been purged  
beneath earthen walls, and in other places with holes.


PARA FREYR CARACOLES, Y GUISARLOS DE DIVERSAS 
MANERAS -- To Fry Snails, and Cook Them in Diverse Manners


Take the snails in the Spring, and make them boil: remove them from 
the shell, and clean them of their filth, and so that they remain larger, 
put them in cold water on the fire, having the vessel closed, and giving i=
t 
a temperate fire just until it boils, and upon uncovering the vessel the 
greater part of the snails will be found out of their shells: those which 
are not will be put in hot water.  Then remove them from the shells as 
has been said, and put them in a vessel of copper, or of earthenware, 
filled with ground salt, and stir them for a quarter of an hour, until the=
 
viscosity comes out: then wash them with many waters: flour them, and 
fry them, and serve them with fried parsley, and cloves of cooked 
[boiled] garlic, and after frying serve them with green sauce, or other 
flavors on top: but if the snails were preserved, boil them: remove them 
from the shell, and fry them.


PARA HAZER POTAJE DE CARACOLES BLANCOS, Y PEQUE=D1OS -- 
To Make Pottage From Little White Snails


Set the little white snails to soak in tepid water, wash them well of the 
dirt or clay, and put them in a vessel with as much tepid water as will 
cover two fingers, and make them boil little by little, keeping the vessel=
 
covered: when you see that the snails have come out, add to them oil, 
pepper, and salt, cinnamon, saffron, and chopped herbs, and cloves of 
garlic, and verjuice, and make it boil for a quarter of an hour, and then 
serve them on plates with their broth: and these snails greatly require 
mint.


PARA HAZER COSTRADAS DE CARACOLES SACADOS DE LA 
CASCARA -- To Make Cakes of Snails Removed from the Shell


Take the snails, well purged, and make them cook in water, in such a 
manner that they are well cooked, and remove them from the shell, 
taking the best part, and wash them again, and purge them with salt, 
and then make them fry with chopped onions, and have ready a tart pan 
anointed with cow's butter, with three leaves of very thin pastry, also 
anointed with butter between one and another, and the large puff pastry 
[tortillon hojaldrado] all around, and upon those is put chopped mint and 
marjoram, and raisins, and sprinkle everything with pepper, cloves, 
cinnamon, and sugar, and salt, then put in the snails, with an equal 
amount of the mixture on top as you put beneath, and sprinkle them 
with the same spices.  You can also put a little grated Pinto cheese, 
and add a little verjuice, or orange juice, cover it with another two simi=
lar 
leaves, and some puff-pastry strips on top.  You can cook it in the oven, 
or under an earthern pot, serve it hot with sugar and rose water on top.  
In this manner you can make a cake, having chopped the snails before 
frying them, and on a fast day in place of butter put oil, and in place of=
 
cheese aged walnuts broken and peeled.


Brighid



Lady Brighid ni Chiarain
Settmour Swamp, East (NJ)
mka Robin Carroll-Mann
harper at idt.net
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