Spicy Sausage Escargots
By Emma
Certified Culinary Professional
•
Recipe tested & approved
Sausages with snails and mushrooms stewed in a spicy tomato base. Onion, red pepper, garlic and chili soften in olive oil. Sausage meat extracted and browned. Escargots and white wine reduce down. Tomatoes, mushrooms, thyme and bay simmer until thick and tender. Parsley folded in at end for freshness. Served hot in earthenware dishes. Bold, savory, with bits of heat. A blend of rustic French flavors with an Italian twist from sausage. Simple but hearty preparation taking about an hour total. Enough for six people. Wheat, dairy and nuts nowhere to be found.
Prep:
20 min
Cook:
50 min
Total:
Servings:
6 servings
#French cuisine
#Italian fusion
#seafood dishes
#spicy recipes
#one pot meals
#gluten free
#dairy free
Onions crisp and sweet, red pepper sharp and soft, garlic sharp, chili with a bite, swimming in olive oil. Then sausage meat freed from casing, crumbled and browned, mingling with escargots. Wine swirls in, sharp and dry, reduced until almost gone. Heaping cans of diced tomatoes add color and heft, mushrooms diving in, absorbing the mix. Thyme twig and bay leaf lend aroma, long slow simmer melds everything rugged and tender. Final sprinkle of fresh cilantro for a snap of green. Serve in rough, earthenware pots. Spoon out, chew, savor. No bells no whistles. Rustic, bold, a stew with punch.
Ingredients
- 1 medium onion chopped
- 3/4 cup diced yellow bell pepper
- 4 cloves garlic minced finely
- 1 small fresh green chili seeded and chopped
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- Salt and freshly cracked black pepper
- 3 spicy Italian sausages
- 2 cans of escargots approx 130 grams each drained and rinsed
- 100 ml dry white wine
- 1 can chopped tomatoes 560 ml
- 200 grams brown mushrooms cut into halves
- 1 sprig fresh thyme
- 1 dried bay leaf
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
About the ingredients
The amount of bell pepper is increased slightly for a touch of sweetness instead of half red pepper. Yellow or green both work, whatever you have. Garlic bumped up from 3 cloves to 4 to raise the aromatic base. Chili switched to green fresh instead of red for a sharper but less sweet heat. Olive oil remains stable to keep richness. Sausage must be spicy Italian style, but use your favorite brand. Removing casings simplifies texture, no casing biting here. Escargots cans vary in size so standardized to about 130 grams each. White wine lowered just a bit to concentrate flavor faster. Tomatoes swapped for a slightly larger can to provide more saucy body. Mushrooms are brown, halved for bite size. Thyme sprig and bay leaf stay classic. Parsley replaced by cilantro for a different herbal note, fresher and citrusy. Salt and pepper used to taste throughout. No gluten, nuts, dairy or eggs in sight. Simple, straightforward staples.
Method
- Heat olive oil in heavy saucepan over medium heat. Toss in onion bell pepper garlic and chili. Season with salt and pepper. Cook stirring for 5 minutes until veggies soften but not colored.
- Slice open sausages lengthwise and squeeze out filling. Add sausage meat to pan. Brown for about 4 minutes stirring to crumble evenly. No large bits.
- Stir in escargots and white wine. Cook until liquid halves in volume, about 7 minutes.
- Add tomatoes mushrooms thyme and bay leaf. Lower heat to gentle simmer. Cook about 45 minutes uncovered. Stir occasionally. Sauce thickens, mushrooms tender.
- Remove thyme sprig and bay leaf. Stir in cilantro. Adjust salt and pepper to taste.
- Spoon mixture into individual ceramic cassolettes or small ovenproof dishes. Serve immediately.
Cooking tips
Start heating oil with veggies over medium heat, not too hot or garlic burns. About 5 minutes softens onions and pepper nicely. Slice sausages carefully to avoid tearing wrong spot. Extract meat by squeezing lengthwise onto board or bowl. Break up mushy lumps once in pan and brown thoroughly for 4 minutes stir often. Add escargots (rinsed and drained) and wine; wait for half reduction, about 7 minutes. Important to stir so wine cooks off evenly. Toss in tomatoes, mushrooms, thyme, bay. Keep at low simmer, uncovered, for 45 minutes, stirring every 10 or so to prevent sticking. Sauce thickens as liquid evaporates and mushrooms soften. Remove herb stalks to avoid woody bits. Mix in chopped cilantro last minute to keep fresh flavor. Taste and adjust salt pepper. Use small cassolettes to hold warm servings. Serve right away while sauce steaming hot. No oven finishing needed but can broil briefly for crust if desired.
Chef's notes
- 💡 Start with medium heat when softening onion and bell pepper. Too high burns garlic fast. Watch garlic closely, quick browning ruins flavor base. Keep stirring veg mixture gently, soft not colored. Olive oil quantity just enough to coat, no pooling. Slicing sausages lengthwise clean, careful not to mash casing or lose meat. Use a sharp knife, rest sausage before slicing. After squeezing out meat, crumble lumps finely with spoon or spatula for even browning. Brown sausage 4 minutes max, don’t overcook or dry out. Wine reduction needs patience, 7 minutes or until halfway volume, stir often to avoid burning. Add herbs whole, remove after simmer to prevent woody bits. Stir in fresh cilantro last, preserves brightness. No salt upfront, add gradually at end to control seasoning. Serve hot in earthenware for rustic hold and heat retention.
- 💡 Skip oven finish unless you want crust, mostly serve hot from pan. Sauce thickens during simmer, adjust heat low enough to prevent sticking. Stir every 10 minutes, scrape bottom. Brown mushrooms halves stay firmer, avoid smaller cuts or too soft. Use dry white wine, no sweet or cooking wine substitutes, changes taste. Avoid red pepper here, green chili sharper heat, less sweet, more bite. Swap cilantro for parsley affects flavor direction, cilantro fresher, more citrus notes. Sausage must be spicy Italian type, Italian sausage flavor base anchors dish. Don’t add casing into pan, gritty texture. Drain and rinse escargots cans well to remove brine. Tomato can size chosen for balanced sauce thickness, can adjust smaller or larger but cook time varies. Salt and black pepper go last to fine tune taste punch.
- 💡 When extracting sausage meat, squeeze slowly to keep chunks, break lumps finely while cooking, crumbling evenly. Don’t let raw sausage pieces stay large, texture off. Deglaze pan with white wine after sausage browned, bring heat to medium low for slow reduction. Simmer uncovered for 45 minutes, evaporate excess moisture, thicken sauce. Avoid covering pan or cooking too hot - peppers turn mushy, flavors flatten. Add fresh herbs whole, easy removal. Cut fresh thyme sprig, no chopped herbs here until end. Bay leaf adds fragrance but no bite. Fresh chili chopped fine spreads heat well, adjust quantity by variety. Olive oil quantity stable. No added nuts, wheat, dairy, or eggs keeps it clean allergen wise. Use ceramic cassolettes or other earthenware, holds heat best. Serve immediately to preserve texture and warmth.
- 💡 Sausage and escargots combine texture contrasts, sausage chunky meaty, escargots slippery but firm. Mushrooms absorb tomato wine mix without getting soggy. Chop chili tiny to spread heat evenly. Yellow bell pepper adds sweetness balance heat and tomato acid. Green chili switches from traditional red, changes heat profile. White wine aids acidity and aroma, helps reduce pork fattiness. Cooking times tied to evaporation rates and mushroom softness, adjust heat gently rather than time. Herbs removed before serving, keeps fresh herb notes from turning bitter. Parsley swapped for cilantro adds new flavor twist, slight citrus brightness. No dairy or nuts ensures allergy friendly, useful info if cooking for mixed groups. Stir mixture carefully but often to avoid burning bottom. Avoid crushing mushrooms too small or too big - halves hold shape best.
- 💡 Final seasoning crucial. Salt added at end mostly, taste before adjusting. Black pepper freshly cracked adds needed pungency, add little by little. Flavor building layered: start garlic and chili gently, brown sausage deep but not burnt, reduce wine slow, simmer rich tomato-herb-mushroom mix long. Use good quality spicy Italian sausage, drives dish. Don’t rush steps, each adds texture and flavor element. Removing herbal stems avoids tough bites in final dish. Fresh cilantro chopped last preserves bright green color and fresh citrus note. Serve in warmed ceramic dishes for best experience. Can broil briefly for crust if wanted, mainly serving hot straight from pan. Timing matters - total about one hour including prep and simmer.
Common questions
Can I substitute sausage with another meat?
Yes but texture changes. Try chorizo or spicy ground pork. Flavor won’t be same. Adjust cooking time for different meat moisture. No casing removal needed if pre-ground. Watch spiciness level too. Varies by choice.
What if no escargots cans available?
Use canned clams or mussels, rinse well. Flavor shifts; less earthy. Add late in cooking to avoid overcooking seafood. Could skip entirely, more sausage veggie stew but misses signature mix. Use fresh if possible, cook gently.
How to store leftovers?
Cool quickly, refrigerate in sealed container. Keep for up to 3 days safe. Reheat gently on low heat, add splash water or wine if too thick. Avoid microwaving too long, toughens mushrooms. Freeze okay but texture changes, best fresh.
Can I make it gluten free and dairy free?
Already free of both. No wheat in ingredients, no dairy added. Double check sausage labels to confirm no fillers. Avoid cross contamination if sensitive. Good for allergy conscious meals. No eggs or nuts present either.
