• In Pretty Woman (1990), Julia Roberts tries to pick up a snail in its shell with her tongs and it flies across the room.

    Escargot

    Serves: 6
    Cooking Time: 45 mins

    Ingredients

    • 45ml (3 tbsp) olive oil
    • 100g pancetta, diced
    • 250g snails, cleaned, washed and boiled
    • salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
    • 1 onion, chopped
    • 45ml (3 tbsp) fresh thyme
    • 50g wild mushrooms, diced
    • 3 garlic cloves, minced
    • crusty bread, to serve

    Instructions

    1

    Heat the oil in a large pot and fry the pancetta until golden. Add the snails and stir over medium heat for about 10 minutes. Season.

    2

    Remove the snails and pancetta and set aside.

    3

    In the same pot sauté the onions until transparent. Stir in the thyme, remove after a few minutes and discard.

    4

    Add the mushrooms to the onions and stir for about 5 minutes. Return the snails and pancetta to the pot and cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, for about 20 minutes. Stir in the garlic and once it becomes fragrant turn off the heat, about 5 minutes.

    5

    Spoon into a serving bowl and serve hot with crusty bread.