Broaden Your Knowledge of Burgundy Gastronomy with these Burgundy Meat Starters

If you’re hosting a Burgundy-themed dinner party, then you’ll want to start it off as you mean to go on - with unique, mouth-watering and very authentic Burgundy starters. They come in many different varieties, and Ellie’s cookbook has details of them all. In this article we’ll look at some of the best Burgundy meat starters that you can try to wow your guests. Alternatively, if you stay with us at Domaine de Cromey, you can sample them yourself as our guest!

First up, there are three Burgundy meat starters which you’ll certainly want to try if you like something a little different – and extremely French. France has long had a love affair with snails, and Ellie has selected three recipes which allow these ingredients to shine. If you have an open-minded and adventurous dinner party who want to be authentic, then you won’t go far wrong with these dishes based on the humble Burgundy snail. But they have to be from Burgundy – check the tin! There are some inferior variants available, so be careful when buying. 

Burgundy Snail Starters 

• Snail Ravioli in a White Wine, Garlic and Herb Bouillon: The consumption of snails in Europe has a long history, spanning approximately 10,000 years and involving numerous species. When purchasing snails, it is important to check the label for the taxonomic names. The two species worth looking for are the Burgundy snail (called ‘helix pomatia’) and the petit gris from Provence (called ‘helix aspersa’). Anything else is likely to be an Asian slug, rather than a snail. These ravioli take a while to prepare, but the effort is definitely worth it. They can be made in advance and kept refrigerated on trays lined with parchment paper, covered with dishtowels for up to 4 hours. The pasta should be rolled out on the thinnest setting of your pasta machine, making the ravioli very delicate. A great wine and food pairing is snails with Chablis, especially those which can perhaps best be described as 'gravelly' in flavor. Domaine Jean Dauvissat produces some great premier cru Chablis that pairs wonderfully. 

• Snails with a Parsley Puree and Tomato Coulis: alongside the snails, parsley, cloves, shallots butter and tomatoes (and yes you can use tinned if necessary!), you’ll need a cup of good white Burgundy wine for this dish. Ellie suggests something from Elise Villiers (though these are often sold out) or Domaine Oudin – like their Chablis 1er Cru 'Vaucoupins'. It’s subtle and ripe, with a touch of salt, with a pure minerality that really lifts up the snails.  

• Turnip Soup with a Mirepoix of Snails: This mirepoix, which is a very fine dice of mixed vegetables and herbs, is mostly made of carrots, mushrooms and cabbage. It gives an earthy quality to this soup, which enhances the mineral, gravelly flavors of the snails. This soup is a great way to appreciate the taste of the snails. When making these recipes, look for medium- ('moyen') or small- ('petit') sized snails. Ellie’s recipe serves ten, and for that number you’ll need around 5 dozen small helix pomatia snails. Most of the other ingredients should be pretty widely available wherever you are.  

Burgundy Poultry Appetizers  

In the poultry category, there are two interesting Burgundy meat starters to consider - one with duck and one with quail: 

• The Citrus Cured Duck Breast with a Grapefruit, Fennel and Hazelnut Salad is cured for 24 hours and combined with a diverse array of salad ingredients, making it a perfect light starter. The best thing about this dish is the combination of salty, sour and sweet flavors that it offers. As well as the ingredients in the title, the recipe includes coarse sea salt, brown sugar, star anise and coriander seeds which all combine to make this rich but refreshing dish. Alongside them you’ll need orange, lemon and lime rind, white wine vinegar, a peeled grapefruit, fennel bulb and lightly toasted hazelnuts. As you can see, it’s this variety of textures and flavors that really gives this dish its appeal, and ensures it stays long in the memory.  

• The Roasted Quail with Cromey Garden Vegetables uses quail roasted on the bone for maximum flavor, with ingredients sourced from Cromey’s extensive grounds and gardens. But they should also be available near to where you live, and they’re worth going the extra mile for. Alongside the quail and veg, the recipe calls for sloe berries, sugar and 1/3 of a bottle of good quality red Burgundy wine for the jus. You’ll also need some good quality honey which infuses the pear.  

Burgundy Beef Starters 

Beef isn't just for hearty main course dishes - it can also be used to great effect in starters and appetizers - such as these two favorites:

• Bresaola with Fresh Goat Cheese and Marinated Vegetables showcases Ellie’s Italian roots and her lifelong love affair with the cuisine of this country. Bresaola is air-dried, salted beef, and it is eaten the length and breadth of Italy. Whenever Dennis and Ellie visit Italy, they make sure to bring some back with them to Burgundy. It has an unforgettable bouquet, and in this recipe Ellie combines it with marinated vegetables and fresh goat’s cheese. The recipe serves six and is easy to prepare and cook – just make sure you have a good array of vegetables to really make the dish sing – carrot, celery, onion, garlic, and fresh chives should do the trick.  

• Warm Beef Carpaccio with Gorgonzola: the dish Carpaccio was first invented in the 1960’s by a Venetian chef by the name of Giuseppe Cipriani. It is basically thinly-sliced meat or fish which is then served raw, often with oil, vinegar and fruits. In this dish, Ellie serves it warm (but not cooked), making it ideal for the summer and very refreshing. You’ll need to chill your beef well before slicing, or you can ask your butcher to do this. The slices must be paper-thin, and to achieve this you can pound them between sheets of parchment paper if necessary.  

Burgundy Pork and Lamb Appetizers 

• Spring Salad with Garlic Cream, Poached Egg and Ham Powder: if you really want to impress your guests with a Burgundy meat starter, you can introduce this dish with its French name: Assiette de Printemps a la crème d’Ail et a L’oeuf Poché. It’s the perfect dish for Sunday brunch and will provide a real talking point amongst your guests – not many people will have pureed ham to a powder, but it’s what gives this dish its unique texture and flavor. To do this, simply use a sauté pan (non-stick) to crisp up the ham slices, then cool and break into pieces, before putting them into a blender and turning them into a fine powder.  

• Garden Vegetable Ragoût with Garlic & Crispy Ham: A ragoût is a type of thick, hearty stew, served either as a main course dish, or in this case as a sauce for a starter or appetizer. It is cooked very slowly over low heat to achieve a rich, unctuous flavor and texture. This dish has another benefit: there are only four ingredients – yes, just four! You’ll simply need the beef, the gorgonzola, 5 organic tomatoes and olive oil. What could be simpler or more effective? 

• And finally, if you’re looking for a great lamb starter dish which showcases your skills as a pastry chef then look no further than Phyllo Wrapped Lamb Noisettes with Goat Cheese. These are little packets of flavor that you can assemble in advance and and make up one of the tastiest Burgundy meat starters you can find. Ellie uses a specific type of goat’s cheese for this recipe called Crottin de Chavignol which originates near Sancerre in the Loire valley. The cheese should be moist and creamy – not too old, and not too young either. In terms of a Burgundy wine for this dish, look for a wine which is like the meat – earthy but also light. A Pinot from the fringes such as Santenay will do the job wonderfully. Or you could look for a village-level Nuits-St Georges which has that subtle ‘animal’ hint, and is gutsy but still fruity. Enjoy! 

To enjoy these Burgundy meat starters as our guest at our idyllic Burgundy manor house – Domaine de Cromey – simply click here to book your trip today. You can also join our Burgundy Wine Club, or join Dennis in his library for rare and exceptional wines as a member of his Library Club.