Snails of the species Helix Aspersa or garden snails, the most common variety in the province of Malaga, are a real delicacy for those who are most devoted to this terrestrial crustacean, whose magnificent qualities and low calorie and fat content (around 60-80 calories per 100 grams) make it an essential ingredient in a healthy, balanced and nutritious diet, especially suitable for sportsmen and women and people who require an extra supply of minerals such as iron, calcium and phosphorus. Its intake helps to combat anaemia, helps in the maintenance of bones and teeth and, due to its high protein content, favours the development of muscles and the regeneration of tissues.

However, in order to enjoy this food with all the flavour of our land, it is necessary to take a look at the recipes of Malaga, where snails are one of the star dishes of spring in our province. Our local recipe book shows our cultural and culinary heritage in recipes where the firm, lean meat of the snail can be eaten in many different ways. The most common way to prepare it is with sauce, which is simply boiling them in water and salt for a few minutes and then cooking them as you like. The most common are sauces, although they can also be enjoyed grilled, with rabbit, spicy, with mint, in soup and even in paella.

In this sense, it is necessary to take a look at some of the recipes provided by our unconditional collaborators through their blogs and gastronomic manuals. For her part, Toñi Sánchez reveals her peculiar recipe for snails Malaga style, also known as snails in spicy almond sauce; while Reme Reina, the author of the blog Al Sur del Sur, invites us to discover the recipe for snails "my mother's style". Similarly, in the book "La cocina del entorno de los embalses Guadalhorce y Guadalteba", by Pablo Castro Bonaño, we can also find a unique recipe for snails in sauce to delight our palate.

And what can we say about the recipe for snails in Riogordo, the secrets of which we can discover in person in this municipality in May during the celebration of its famous Snail Day, declared a Provincial Tourist Festival of Singularity. During this festival the people of Riogordo will invite you to try one of the specialities that most characterises their cuisine: snails in stew. This unique dish is prepared in the local way, cooked in its own broth and served with olives and local wine, a tradition with more than two decades of history.

Although there are many, varied recipes for all tastes, the value of this product lies in the care and environment in which the land snail is reared. Heliciculture or land snail farming for commercial purposes allows for the controlled breeding of these animals, either for human consumption or for other purposes, such as the production of cosmetics or medicines.

In these farms, the snails, omnivores by nature, are fed a variety of plant and animal foods rich in calcium and protein. They can feed on a wide range of vegetables, such as lettuce, spinach, kale, carrots, beets, cucumbers, among others. They can also feed on fruits such as apples, bananas, grapes and melons. In addition, snails need a source of calcium in their diet to strengthen their shells. Calcium can be provided through foods such as bone meal, crushed egg shells, and calcium carbonate powder.

It is important to ensure that food is fresh and free of pesticides or contaminants to avoid snail poisoning. Sufficient water should also be provided to ensure hydration and proper functioning of their digestive system. The environment in which they are kept is also controlled, maintaining an adequate temperature and humidity for their development, taking care of all the conditions to ensure the growth and health of these farm snails.

According to various market studies carried out by the Junta de Andalucía, the national consumption of snails is 400 grams per person per year, which means some 16 million kilos per year. However, heliciculture or snail farming, which was booming in our province barely five years ago, is today somewhat more moderate and it is estimated that in Malaga there are currently 28 companies dedicated to snail production, out of a total of 211 farms registered in our autonomous community.

One of the most revered flavours in the Spanish recipe book

The Roman Empire left an indelible gastronomic legacy in the Mediterranean. And it is to them that we owe the enjoyment of this exquisite and venerated delicacy of the Spanish and obviously Malaga recipes: the snail, being the aforementioned Helix Aspersa variety, known as the common snail, bover or burgao, the most common and most used in our gastronomy, as it is the specimen that predominates throughout the Mediterranean basin and is used to living in temperate climates.
There are other species of snails that are widely used for culinary purposes, such as Helix Lucorum (larger), Helix Lactea (common in high, wooded areas of the Mediterranean) or Helix Cincta, but less common in our region. The Malaga snail can be found almost anywhere in the province, as its breeding is common both inland and in coastal areas.

White caviar

But this small, slow, invertebrate mollusc hides another secret. If the meat of the Malaga snail is highly prized, its eggs are even more so, a delicacy that has already been nicknamed white caviar or the caviar of the land. The snail egg has an intense flavour with the aroma of the countryside and is worth up to 2,000 euros per kilo on the market. It should be noted that more than 300 snails are needed to produce one kilo of white caviar.

Thanks to its exquisite taste, white caviar can be eaten without anything to accompany it. However, some of the recipes devised by the world's leading chefs include this delicacy with guacamole sandwiches, in sushi cubes, with black caviar, with melon and ham or with cod.

Snail eggs have an important nutritional value and numerous properties for humans. In addition to their exquisite taste, each bite offers a high protein intake (beneficial for muscle development), vitamin A (strengthens the immune system), vitamin B3 (useful for the circulatory system), vitamin B12 (for the nervous system) and vitamin C (also important for the immune system and one of the most important nutrients for preventing cancer). 

In short, the snail is a complete foodstuff with multiple properties, which today we can enjoy at many other times of the year thanks to deep-freezing processes. In this way, frozen food companies from Malaga such as Román y Martos, Sanamar or Congelados Guerrero can supply this product with which you can prepare extraordinary recipes.