Definitive and Doable: Heston Blumenthal's Snail Porridge

Definitive and Doable is a new Fine Dining Lovers series sharing classic dishes and recipes from top chefs and iconic restaurants that can be easily re-created at home. 

What is Definitive and Doable?

Throughout the twelve-part series we will teach you how to re-create your own culinary masterpieces, tapping into the brilliance of the world's culinary greats and the dishes that define them, by breaking each recipe down into simple repeatable parts, allowing you to capture those iconic flavours on a plate at home. From Heston Blumenthal's snail porridge, to Joël Robuchon's famous mashed potato, you'll find all the best signature recipes here.

Snail porridge by Heston Blumenthal

First up in the series is 'snail porridge'. British chef Heston Blumenthal's most famous dish was served at The Fat Duck in Bray, sealing the culinary pioneer's reputation at the forefront of modernist cuisine.

In a classic act of Blumenthal wizardry, he turns two “grey and gloopy” sounding foodstuffs – snails and porridge – into a vibrant and enticing dish of green parsley, ham and almond-infused porridge, snails, more ham, and shaved and dressed fennel.

"It all works: parsley, snails, garlic is the theme of the base, but then the acidity of fennel salad on top cuts through it all. Is it a risotto, where does it fit and why savoury porridge? It's just one of those things that's super sideways but so delicious. And when you eat it, you get it. Heston's a genius," says head chef at The Fat Duck, Oli Williamson.

How to make snail porridge at home

The recipe is the sum of several parts, including a snail butter, a vibrant shaved fennel salad and walnut vinaigrette, which we have broken down into simple steps using everyday kitchen equipment and easily found ingredients.

So, if you want to flex your culinary muscles and have a go at a famous dish from one of the greats, why not give it a try and prepare to impress.