Snails Stifado

Cretans eagerly await the springtime "hochlidovradies", the sweet, moist nights that follow the first rains, to go out and collect snails. When they return home with baskets full, they prepare the "hochlidokalatho", a large woven basket, lining it with either vine twigs or astoivida, a native thorny shrub.

They sort the snails: the ones with soft shells, known as "tsifoutes", are thrown into the "sochoro", a nearby field or garden, while the rest go into the basket. To "sakasoun" (clean them out), they throw in a "diplachachalia"—a double handful—of flour or bran. They then cover the basket tightly with a cloth so the snails don’t escape. The snails are left like this for several days, and then the "kollitares", the ones that have stuck together, are transferred into a clean basket for storage.

Snails are used in many different and delicious ways: boubouristoi with rosemary and vinegar, boiled, with wheat, in stifado, with stewed greens, with fennel, potatoes, fresh fava beans, or artichokes.

But snails stifado remains the ultimate dish. It’s the best meze to pair with wine, and no authentic Cretan table is ever complete without it.

Ingredients:

1 kg snails
1 kg onions, sliced crosswise
1 grated onion
2 grated ripe tomatoes
1 cup olive oil
½ cup wine
2 bay leaves
Salt, pepper

Method:

Using a knife, clean the snails’ shells and remove the membrane that has formed over the opening. Check for any dead snails and discard them.

Boil the snails in a pot of cold salted water for about 15 minutes. Near the end, add a splash of vinegar. Rinse the snails thoroughly, making sure all residue is gone. Now they’re ready for cooking.

In a pot, heat the olive oil, add the grated onion and the snails, and sauté for about 5 minutes. Remove the snails from the pot and add the sliced onions. When the mixture starts to boil, add the tomatoes, bay leaves, wine, salt, and pepper. Add a bit of hot water if needed.

Let the dish simmer until the onions begin to soften. Then return the snails to the pot and cover it. Do not stir with a spoon—just gently shake the pot in a circular motion, making sure the food doesn’t "tsiknosei" (stick to the bottom and burn).

Let it simmer gently for another 30 minutes, until the sauce thickens. When it’s ready, remove the pot from the heat and let it "apomanei"—rest and settle—before serving.