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Caracóis à Portuguesa

Serves 4 to 6 Appetizer seafood, Appetizers

Caracóis à Portuguesa

Caracóis à Portuguesa brings the taste of Lisbon's summer to your table, where the sun lingers long into the evening and the city hums with an unhurried pace. In this home-style version, snails are simmered slowly in a pot with good olive oil, a touch of piri-piri heat, and fragrant oregano, capturing the essence of a Portuguese family kitchen.

Each snail is tender, absorbing the aromatic flavors of garlic and bay leaves, while the broth remains light yet deeply savory. This dish is all about simplicity and the purity of ingredients, inviting you to savor each morsel without any fuss or embellishment. A sprinkle of coarse sea salt completes the experience, ensuring every bite is perfectly seasoned.

Ingredients

  • 1.5 kgsmall snails — purged and rinsed several times
  • 1onion — halved
  • 6 clovesgarlic — crushed
  • 1 large bunchfresh oregano — or wild pennyroyal
  • 2bay leaves
  • 1piri-piri chili
  • 3 tbspolive oil
  • 2 Lwater
  • to tastecoarse sea salt

Method

  1. Start by thoroughly washing 1.5 kg of small snails under cold running water. Use your hands to gently rub the shells to remove any dirt or debris. Once cleaned, place them in a large bowl filled with fresh water and let them soak for about 30 minutes. This helps to purge any remaining impurities from the snails.
  2. Peel and finely chop 1 onion and 6 cloves of garlic. Set them aside. Take 1 piri-piri chili, and if you prefer less heat, slice it open and remove the seeds before chopping it finely. Rinse the large bunch of fresh oregano and pluck the leaves from the stems, discarding the stems.
  3. In a large pot, heat 3 tbsp of olive oil over medium heat. Add the chopped onion and garlic, stirring them until the onion becomes translucent and the garlic releases its aroma. This should take about 3 to 4 minutes. Add the chopped piri-piri chili and continue to sauté for another minute, allowing the chili to infuse the oil with its heat.
  4. Pour in 2 L of water into the pot and bring it to a gentle boil. Add the snails, 2 bay leaves, and the fresh oregano leaves. Stir gently to combine all the ingredients. Allow the snails to simmer in the aromatic broth for about 30 to 40 minutes. You'll know the snails are done when they are tender and the broth has a rich, savory aroma.
  5. Taste the broth and add coarse sea salt to your liking, stirring well to dissolve the salt. Remember, the salt should enhance the flavors without overpowering them. Once seasoned to taste, remove the pot from the heat.
  6. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the snails to a serving dish. Pour some of the flavorful broth over the snails to keep them moist and aromatic. Serve the Caracóis à Portuguesa immediately, while they are still warm, accompanied by crusty bread to soak up the delicious broth.
Cover of Authentic Portuguese Cuisine
From the cookbook

Authentic Portuguese Cuisine

This recipe is from Authentic Portuguese Cuisine by Yassine Sbiti — the Portuguese volume in the ComidaTime International Cuisines series.

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