How to preserve sea snails
Snails or sea snails are edible molluscs belonging to the Gastropod family , with a shell measuring 2 to 3.5 centimeters in size, very popular in the kitchen and versatile. In fact, they lend themselves to various recipes for appetizers or second courses, they have a delicate flavor , few calories and an unmistakable scent of the sea .
Before knowing how to preserve sea snails , which is important in order not to compromise their taste, let’s give some information and advice.
Curiosities about sea snails
Depending on the area of Italy, sea snails are also called lumachine or lumachini , maruzzelle or sea snails. They live in coastal areas, particularly on sandy bottoms . They are rich in mineral salts such as sodium, potassium and iron, and are strictly consumed cooked at 100°C for 2 minutes.
Nieddittas markets snails, tasty and unmistakable for their characteristic natural spicy flavour . We work with great attention to the quality and food safety of our products, to guarantee food that is always healthy and safe.
There are many recipes in which these molluscs are protagonists: with garlic and parsley, stewed , boiled with oil and lemon , sautéed in a pan with herbs or tomatoes to season pasta , included in salads, fish soups together with mussels and clams or to flavor delicious seafood sauces . In short, choose according to your personal tastes how to enjoy the unique flavor of this delicacy.
How to preserve sea snails?
First of all, at the time of purchase the sea snails must be alive : this can be easily understood from the smell and why touching the mollusc should retreat into its tip. Also, always check the label .
As in other gastropod molluscs, the foot is the edible part that we use in recipes.
If you are wondering how to preserve sea snails , know that since it is a fresh and easily perishable product just like other molluscs , freezing is not recommended, but it should be consumed immediately, within 12 hours of purchase, to avoid the risk of contaminations.
Before cooking them, you must wrap the sea snails in a wet cloth and store them in the fridge at a temperature between +4°C and +6°C ±2°C.
After cleaning and cooking the sea snails, you can store any leftovers in the refrigerator for a maximum of 1 day.
Remember that in order to eat them, you need to remove the cap : boil the molluscs in water with bay leaves and pepper, wait for the heat to make the sea snails come out of the shell, removing the cap. You can then drain them and proceed according to your favorite recipe.
