Snail caviar

Snail caviar is not related to fish caviar, but still it has a specific fish-caviar taste and grainy texture. White snail caviar in its chemical composition is close to the composition of sturgeon caviar. Snails lay eggs per year in the total amount of one teaspoon (three grams). What does snail caviar look like? Snail eggs are small white balls that are slightly larger than salmon eggs and taste more like black caviar. ^[1].

In 1987, for the first time, attention was paid to such a useful product as caviar of grape snails. ^[2]. Before that, no one was interested in the process of reproduction of snails. Technically and economically, it was practically impossible to establish the production of such a meager product at the output.

Dominique and Sylvie Pierri first proposed the idea of ​​producing and selling snail caviar. The couple owned a snail farm in northern France. At that time, all restaurant critics in France were delighted with Dominic’s innovative idea to supply snail caviar to restaurants.

Before Dominic started his farming business, he worked as a restaurant fitter. Snails live in a damp climate, therefore, there were a lot of them in the old damp cellars (that’s where the small French restaurants were located). One day while working, Dominic found snail caviar. He tasted it and appreciated all the delights of taste. He hurried to give the find a sample to the chef, who also appreciated the taste of a previously unfamiliar delicacy.

Then the spouses came up with the idea to open a snail farm. They figured that in order to make a profit from this production, they must have at least 50 snails on the farm. To implement this idea, the couple spent 3 years. During this time, they were able to establish a production process. A special snail diet has been developed, and a method for safe and long-term storage of the product has been thought out.

For 3 years, Dominique Pierri equipped the farm and raised 180 snails. This delicacy is very expensive and is in the top 10 most expensive types of product.

The famous French culinary specialist Jean-Pierre Faranque also owns a snail greenhouse and is engaged in the production of snail caviar. His farm is located in Saint-Suegre. Jean-Pierre produces over 100 kg of game per year.

French restaurants value their suppliers of snail caviar very much, as this delicacy is in great demand among visitors. The product harmonizes perfectly with sage leaves, brown bread and truffles.

The snail delicacy has forest notes and an incredible airy taste.

Snail caviar, under the right conditions, can be stored for no more than 3 months.

The production process of the product is quite complicated and time-consuming, since snails produce three grams of the product twice – this is the annual rate.

Another difficulty in the production of caviar is that it is necessary to pick up the product from adults in time. This is due to the fact that snails eat their caviar: this is a source of protein and vitamins for them. To prevent this from happening, farmers are developing special nutrition for shellfish in order to fully fill their diet with the necessary micro and macro elements. ^[3].

Calorie content and BJU of the product

The product belongs to low-calorie and very nutritious foods. All information is displayed in the table (per 100 grams of product).

Chemical composition of the product

The product has an incredibly high energy and nutritional value. ^[4]. The caviar of the Achatina snail contains more than 36 micro- and macroelements, which is 10 times more than that of fish. The main trace elements that make up the product:

• potassium;
• sodium;
• zinc;
• iron;
• magnesium;
• copper.

It also includes vitamins of groups B, C, E, D, A, vital for the human body. ^[5].

Useful Properties

The benefits and harms of the snail delicacy are already being actively researched. Thanks to a balanced mineral-vitamin complex, the product has a positive effect on the functioning of the cardiovascular system, the functioning of the reproductive and reproductive systems, and the full functioning of the thyroid gland. ^[6]. Caviar favors the work of the whole organism. It is also worth considering that snail caviar is a powerful natural aphrodisiac. ^[7].

Use in cooking

The delicacy is actively used in cooking. Before the product is added to a certain dish, the eggs must be kept in a saline solution. You can store eggs for a maximum of 3 months, so the product must be quickly sold. What to do with this delicacy in cooking? They try not to hide caviar in a dish, but on the contrary, make it a star. In home cooking, the product is very rare, as it is very expensive. ^[8]. Restaurants can offer an incredible variety of dishes for different tastes and budgets, combining caviar with cheaper products and other expensive delicacies. ^[9].

How to pickle snail caviar

For cooking, we need a fresh delicacy of the Akhata snail, salt and clean water. ^[10]. First we collect caviar. To do this, carefully select the eggs from the soil and rinse them under running cold water. Prepare saline solution. Add salt to water in proportion: 100 grams of salt per liter of water. Bring the saline solution to a boil. Caviar should be added to the brine at the moment when it cools down to 70 degrees. Eggs in brine must be kept for at least 3 hours. Drain the water. To completely separate the eggs from the water, they must lie down in a colander for 10 minutes. Transfer the finished eggs to a clean, tightly closed container. Keep refrigerated.

If you want to keep snail caviar longer, it is recommended to freeze it.

Achatinsky snails grow freely at home. If you want to try such an exquisite and expensive delicacy, you can get yourself a few clams. Try, cook, enjoy!

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