Tortellini of snails with frogs' legs

Ingredients

(serves eight)

½ litre fresh chicken stock
2 large bulbs garlic
7 branches thyme
100ml double cream
1 large bunch flat leaf parsley
200ml olive oil
Ground black pepper
24 (fresh or frozen) large frogs' legs
125g butter
Salt

For the tortellini (30-plus portions) 6 diced rashers smoked bacon
2 large diced Spanish onions
50ml olive oil
2tbs chopped parsley
900g basic chicken mousse
500g pasta dough
1 dozen (tinned) large snails

Garnish Braised celery
Parsley sauce

Method

Bring ½ litre of chicken stock with a few cloves of garlic and half the thyme to the boil. Reduce to 250ml.

Add 100ml double cream, three-quarters of the picked parsley and blend until smooth. (It is essential to blend hot or the cream will split.) Pass through a fine sieve into a bowl over iced water to keep colour.

For the frogs' legs marinade (24 hours in advance), mix the rest of the parsley (chopped), thyme, olive oil and ground black pepper. Combine with the frogs' legs. Cover tightly with clingfilm and refrigerate for 24 hours.

For the tortellini of snails, sweat smoked bacon and onion in oil. Add chopped parsley. Cool. Fold into the mousse.

Roll pasta in a thin layer, cut into discs. Place a teaspoonful of the chicken mousse in the centre with one large snail. Fold pasta in half to form a large semicircle. Fold semicircle around your finger to form the shape of "Venus's bellybutton". Allow two tortellinis per portion. Blanch for three minutes in boiling salted water.

When required, pat gently with kitchen paper. In a hot pan, colour gently on both sides using a little of the marinade. Season well with salt, roast in a moderate oven for three minutes. When cooked, remove and place on a small plate. Apply clingfilm and place on top of the warm oven.

Arrange the frogs' legs and tortellini in the centre of the plate with a cordon of sauce and garnish with braised celery.

• Wine recommendation: Pouilly Fuisse Pierrefolle 1998.