Giant Snails Could Address Malnutrition

Likely to be a slow address about "eating healthily" Nigerian/UK-style.

"A nutritionist in Nigeria says that malnutrition and iron deficiency in schoolchildren could be reduced in her country by baking up snail pie. In a research paper to be published in the International Journal of Food Safety, Nutrition and Public Health, she explains snail is not only cheaper and more readily available than beef but contains more protein.

Ukpong Udofia of the Department of Home Economics, at the University of Uyo, has looked at the moisture levels, protein content, and iron composition of the flesh of the giant West African land snail and compared it to beef steak. Snail pie is much more nutritious than a beef pie, she says.

Udofia and her research team baked pies of both varieties and asked young mothers and their children to try the tasty meal. Most of them preferred the taste and texture of the pies baked with the snail Archachatina marginata to those made with beef. The kids and their mothers judged the snail pies to have a better appearance, texture, and flavor."

Here is a recipe for the enlightened:

Ingredients

100ml Olive oil
500 g salted boneless pork shoulder, (or butt), or gammon joint, cut into 2cm pieces
1 medium Onion, finely chopped
48 large snails, tinned
4 cloves Garlic, chopped
1 Bay leaves
8 tinned anchovies, canned, chopped
150ml dry White wine
150g shelled walnut pieces
100ml double cream
1 x 250g ready-made shortcrust pastry
1 Egg, beaten, for the glaze

To serve

mashed potato
green beans

Method

1. Pour the olive oil into a heavy-based pan and add the pork. Cook over a medium-high heat until the meat is sealed - about 10 minutes. Add the onion, snails, garlic, bay leaf and anchovies. Sauté for 3-4 minutes before pouring over the wine.

2. Simmer for a further 10-15 minutes to reduce about a third of the cooking liquid. Scatter over the walnut pieces, add the cream and continue cooking over a low heat for 10-15 minutes. Leave on one side to cool slightly and tip into an 18cm diameter pie dish. Preheat the oven to 180C/gas 4.

3. Roll out the pastry on a floured surface and use to cover the pie dish. Make a hole in the centre of the pie to allow steam to escape while it cooks.

4. Brush the pie with the beaten egg and bake for 30 minutes, until the pastry is golden. Serve with fluffy mashed potato and green beans."

Bon appetit.