The Chef: Mike Hutcheson shares his recipe for Escargots a’ la Burro

The Chefs column highlights local culinary masters. The chefs share a recipe that has a lot of meaning to them and thankfully, how to make it. (Well, at least most of it, sometimes secrets must remain that.)

This month’s chef is Mike Hutcheson.

Chef Mike’s story … My zest for life is apparent whether I am shooting another Instagram episode of “Dishing with Mike,” teaching a cooking class at Piedmont’s Cancer Wellness Center, traveling with my lovely wife Mary Ellen (30 years) or bragging on my family.

I grew up in St. Louis surrounded by my Lebanese family’s cooking tastes and smells in my great grandmother, grandmother and my mother’s kitchen, sometimes four generations in the kitchen rolling grape leaves and cabbage rolls. I love to cook. Check out my Instagram page (dishing_with_mike) where I occasionally will post  food clips.

My adage with cooking “Fun Food Fast” – restaurant-quality food in the comfort of your own home. Always remember …“You can always add but not take away.”

Escargots a’ la Burro for (4) 

Ingredients
Can of jumbo escargot ( drain juice)
1 pinch sea salt
1 pinch crushed red pepper flake
2 tbsp unsalted butter
3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 tsp fresh chopped garlic ( buy jar ready to go from grocery)
1/4 cup sherry cooking wine
1 tsp lea & perrins
1 tbsp fresh chopped parsley
1 jigger of Tabasco
2 tbsp fresh grated Parmesan cheese
8 baguette pieces of bread sliced for toast points

Process
In a saucepan add your olive oil and garlic and bring up to medium heat until you get a little action (sizzle) going with the oil and garlic. Next add your red pepper flakes and escargot and keep on medium heat, stir to coat escargot with all the good Schmutz (sauce). Add everything else but the sherry wine, parsley & butter.

Let all of this sizzle and then add the sherry wine and let this cook down for 3 minutes. Once we have a bit of a reduction then turn heat to low and begin to add in your butter, as it melts it will begin to look creamy and velvety. Simmer and add your parsley.

Time to ” Dish it up”
1 escargot per toast point … along with some of the Schmutz then top each toast point with Parmesan cheese and serve. Or at this point, you could put back in the oven to caramelize the Parmesan cheese and then serve. Very important to use all of the sauce.