Ingredients
Sea snails
- 1.5 kglive whelks or sea snails
- coarse salt, for washing
- cold water, for rinsing
Broth
- 2 litreswater
- 1whole head of celery, chopped
- or 2 tablespoons celery seed
- 2onions, halved
- 3bay leaves
- 1 tablespoonblack peppercorns
- 2 sprigsthyme
- 1 tablespoonsalt
- 1 tablespoonvinegar
Sometimes added
- a piece of leek
- a few cloves
- a strip of lemon peel
To serve
- paper cups
- a small fork or a pin
- salt and pepper
- vinegar, optional
Directions
- Discard any that hang out limply. Discard any with a cracked or broken shell. Keep them cold and covered with a damp cloth. Never seal them in a plastic bag.
- Put them in a large bowl of cold salted water. Use plenty of salt to mimic sea water. Leave them for an hour to purge sand. Rub them together in handfuls to clean them. Rinse until the water runs clear.
- Use a whole head chopped including the leaves. Celery seed works if you have no fresh celery. Put the water into a large pot. Add the celery, onions, bay and thyme.
- Add the peppercorns and the vinegar. Season it generously with salt. Bring it to a boil and let it simmer. Let it cook for twenty minutes on its own. The broth should taste strongly of celery.
- Adjust the salt before the snails go in. Add the cleaned snails to the simmering broth. Bring it back up to a steady simmer. Let them cook for about thirty minutes. Whelks need that long to become tender. Adjust the time to the size of the snail. Judging when they are done takes a test.
- Lift one out with a slotted spoon. Pull the flesh out with a fork or a pin. It should come out cleanly in one piece. Take the pot off the heat entirely. Let the snails sit in the broth for ten minutes. They take up the celery flavour as they sit.
- Ladle snails and broth into a paper cup. Pull each snail out of its shell with the point. Season each cup with salt and pepper. They are best eaten hot and straight away.
Technique
- Caricoles are marine sea snails, usually whelks, and are quite different from the land snails eaten in France and Portugal.
- Celery is the signature flavour of the Brussels broth and is what distinguishes the dish.
Substitutions
- Periwinkles can be used and need far less cooking than whelks.
- Celery seed replaces fresh celery in the broth at a pinch.
Variations
- Some stalls serve them with a mayonnaise on the side.
- A version with more pepper is made for those who want heat.
- Whelks are also eaten cold with mayonnaise across the North Sea coast.
History
A Brussels street stall tradition, sold near the markets and at the Foire du Midi.
Frequently asked questions
What is Caricoles?
Caricoles is a street food from Belgium: sea snails simmered in celery broth, eaten hot from a cup. A Brussels street stall tradition, sold near the markets and at the Foire du Midi.
How long does Caricoles take to make?
Caricoles takes 20 minutes plus soaking of preparation and 1 hour of cooking. The recipe makes serves 6. It is rated easy to make.
What can I substitute in Caricoles?
Yes, within limits. Periwinkles can be used and need far less cooking than whelks. Celery seed replaces fresh celery in the broth at a pinch.
What is the most important thing to get right in Caricoles?
Discard any that hang out limply. Discard any with a cracked or broken shell. Keep them cold and covered with a damp cloth. Never seal them in a plastic bag.
