WEIRD FOOD - Black pudding and escargot treats

Today in Weird Food, we serve up a 'pudding' and some slimy, but apparently tasty pest.

Black pudding

Black pudding, as made in the United Kingdom, is a blend of onions, pork fat, oatmeal, flavourings, and blood (usually from a pig). As long as animals have been slaughtered to provide food, blood sausages like black pudding have been in existence. Sources indicate that the corpulent sausage had its origins in ancient Greece, and Homer's Odyssey makes poetic reference to the roasting of a stomach stuffed with blood and fat. Black pudding is especially popular in Northern England, Scotland and Ireland. It is also enjoyed by many of our Caribbean neighbours.

Ingredients

2 litres blood

Casings, beef runners or large pig casings (optional)

3 onions, finely chopped

1kg of suet or diced pork fat

500ml double cream

500g oatmeal (soaked overnight in water)

500g barley (boiled in water for 30 minutes)

2 tsp salt

1 tsp mixed herbs

1 tsp black pepper

1 tsp ground mace

Method

1. Soften the onions in a quarter of the fat, make sure that they do not change colour.

2. Add the rest of the fat and leave to slowly sweat for 10 minutes.

3. Add the oatmeal and cream and cook for a few minutes.

4. Add the rest of the ingredients and stir over a gentle heat for five minutes. If you are using skins, these can now be filled and sealed with two knots.

5.The puddings can then be poached in barely simmering water for five to 10 minutes. Splitting is common; so to avoid this, prick the puddings with a needle and cook on the lowest possible heat.

6. Any pudding that floats to the top should also be pricked. They are done when brown liquid comes out. They can then be drained and kept in a fridge for one to two weeks.

7. You can then cut slices and fry or bake.

Escargot

Escargot is as much a symbol of France as the Eiffel Tower or Champagne. Although mainly considered a French dish, escargot have been eaten for thousands of years. Large quantities of empty shells have been found in the caves of prehistoric man. In France, two types are commonly eaten: the 'Petit-Gris' (French for 'Little Gray', and the 'Escargot de Bourgogne' (French for 'Burgundy Snail'. By the way, not all snails are edible.

Escargot in Garlic

Ingredients1 dozen snails

3 cloves garlic, minced fine

2 tbs wine

2 tbs white wine

1 stick sweet butter, softened

2 tbs chopped parsley

¹/⁴ cup dry bread crumbs

toasted slices French bread

Method

1. Mix garlic, parsley, wine and butter.

2. Cover, refrigerate to firm.

3. Stuff snails into shells with about one tablespoon of prepared butter.

4. Place in shallow pan.

5. Sprinkle bread crumbs at mouth of snail

6. Broil until very hot, about 15 minutes.

7. Garnish with lemon and toasted bread to sop excess butter.

Sources: www.bbc.co.uk/food, www.sausagelinks.co.uk, www.cooks.com and www.france-property-and-information.com