Moon Snails are a delicious, versatile, and wildly underrated species of sea snails. Though found throughout much of the United States, they are always harvested as bycatch, typically in pursuit of lobster, conch, or scallops, and aside from a slim smattering of New England fisheries, they’re rarely given any attention at all. But like many saltwater snails, these critters are predators, primarily feasting on slow-moving prey like clams, which unsurprisingly translates to superb flavor in the kitchen. Compared to many of their aquatic cousins, Moon Snails are exceptionally similar to the trio of Eurasian snails most frequently utilized for escargot, and we find them to be perfect for applications like this, with freshness scarcely seen on American menus. Their flavor falls between shellfish and squid, with a texture that leans in the direction of calamari, but they’re also exquisite at absorbing and amplifying the flavors that surround them.
No matter what dish you plan to make, we strongly encourage deeply blanching the snails and thoroughly cleaning both the body and the shell to get rid of any lingering sand they've brought with them from the sea floor. Blanching also makes it easy to trim the succulent and delicious muscle away from the remainder of the body before finishing them however you'd like.
New England
~1 lb
