I recently had a follower on Instagram ask for more recipes inspired by kids’ books, which turned out to be perfect timing since I was already considering posting a recipe from ESCARGOT this month.

My kids have loved the Escargot series by Dashka Slater and Sydney Hanson ever since they were toddlers. My sister bought us the first book since her kids were fans, and we’ve slowly accumulated most of the books in the series. They follow the adventures of a French snail named Escargot who loves “salad with a few croutons and a light vinaigrette,” and they are positively delightful.

I think the best thing about the books is that they are fun for both kids and adults. My kids love Escargot’s silly antics and preoccupation with getting kisses, and I love his supreme (and often comically misplaced) self-assurance. I also love how each story encourages him to reassess his assumptions and open his world up a bit wider. Of course, I have to read it in my most dramatic French accent, though I admit it sometimes comes out sounding like Anontio Banderas (I didn’t say it was a good accent).

Any recipe post inspired by ESCARGOT must include his favorite food: salad with a few croutons and a light vinaigrette. I used my crouton recipe from my latest cookbook, A LITERARY PICNIC. The vinaigrette I made is the same recipe I used for the Salad of Beetroot from my JONATHAN STRANGE & MR. NORREL menu a few years ago. If we’re talking in terms of strict book accuracy, the vinaigrette in ESCARGOT is most likely balsamic since it’s brown. However, I’ve found light-colored dressings are a lot easier to photograph (brown dressing just tends to make the salad look dirty), so I went with a version that uses apple cider vinegar and—for a touch of French style—Dijon mustard.

Still, I felt like a salad and dressing was too simple for a blog post (even if it included homemade croutons), so I made some bread roll snails using a basic bread dough I’ve been working on for a super secret cooking project. Hopefully I can share more details about it soon!

My kids loved the bread rolls, though they’re still not that big on salad. . . but if there’s anyone who can change their mind, it’s Escargot. 😉

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Snail Rolls and Salad (with a Few Croutons and a Light Vinaigrette) inspired by ESCARGOT

“Right now, I am traveling to the salad at the end of this book. It is a beautiful salad, with a few croutons and a light vinaigrette.”

— Escargot

 

INGREDIENTS:

 

Makes 8 snail bread rolls and 4 small salads

 

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. To make the bread, stir together the water and milk in the bowl of a standing mixer. Sprinkle the yeast on top and allow to rest for 5 minutes, stirring gently after 2 minutes.
2. Add the butter, 1 egg, salt, and sugar to the bowl. Beat on medium-low speed with a paddle attachment for 30 seconds or until the butter is broken up into pieces. Gradually beat in the flour, then increase the speed to medium and beat until just combined.
3. Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and knead until it is soft, mostly smooth, and only slightly sticky (around 5-8 minutes), reflouring the surface as needed.
4. Coat a large bowl with cooking spray and place the dough inside, turning once to coat. Cover the bowl with a clean kitchen cloth and allow to rise for 1 hour or until the dough has roughly doubled in size.
5. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside. Punch down the dough and separate into 8 balls of equal size (around 3.25 oz each).
6. Separate approximately 1/3 of the dough (around 1 oz) from each of the balls and roll each one into a 5-inch log, keeping the other balls of dough covered with a damp paper towel as you work with each one to prevent them from drying out. Lay them horizontally on the prepared baking sheets, spaced evenly apart.
7. Roll the remaining portion of each ball into an 10-inch log. Roll each log into a spiral and place them on top of the 5-inch logs on the baking sheet. Curve one end of the 5-inch log up and gently press it against the side of the spiral (this will be the snail’s head).
8. Cover and allow to rise for another 45 minutes. While you wait, preheat the oven to 350°F.
9. Whisk the remaining egg with 1 tablespoon of water and brush onto the snails. Add 2 raisin eyes to each snail. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until golden brown on top, flipping and rotating the pans halfway through. Allow to cool for 5 minutes on the baking sheet, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Once cooled, gently insert 2 pretzel sticks into the top of each snail head to make tentacles. Depending on the brand, you may need to snap the ends off the pretzel sticks if they’re too long.
10. To make the croutons, preheat oven to 325°F. Add the bread crusts to a large bowl and drizzle olive oil down the sides of the bowl. Stir until well-coated. Stir in garlic powder and salt. Bake for 15 minutes on an ungreased baking sheet, shaking the pan once halfway through, and allow to cool on a wire rack.
11. To make the vinaigrette, combine all ingredients in a small sealed container (such as a tupperware container) and shake vigorously for 1-2 minutes until combined.
12. To make the salad, toss together the greens, carrots, croutons, and vinaigrette.
13. Serve to your favorite animal . . . with a kiss! * mwua *

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Looking for more kids’ book recipes?
Check out my recipe for mini chocolate chip cookies
inspired by IF YOU GIVE A MOUSE A COOKIE!