A Guide to Wine, Food & the Good Life
To subscribe and be notified anytime we post a new article, enter your email address in the box below, then click on Subscribe Now.

Food & Wine

Similar Articles:

  1. MELISSE RESTAURANT- GREAT FOOD ACCOMPANIED BY GREAT WINE - A WIN/WIN!
  2. MERRY CHRISTMAS AND HAPPY NEW YEAR - THE GAMES HAVE BEGUN!
  3. THANKSGIVING 2021
  4. BELATED BIRTHDAY CELEBRATION AT CANYON VILLA
  5. DON SCHLIFF'S DECADES OF VINTAGE PORT TASTING 1834 -- 2017
  6. BIRTHDAY CELEBRATIONS
  7. 2019 THANKSGIVING PAST
  8. THANKSGIVING 2019
  9. 100 YEARS OF TAYLOR FLADGATE VINTAGE PORT TASTING
  10. HAPPY THANKSGIVING 2018!
  11. A VERY SPECIAL WINE AND FOOD DINNER
  12. DON SCHLIFF'S RARE VINTAGE PORT TASTING: 1935 AND 1945
  13. BONNY DOON VINEYARD WINE AND FOOD DINNERS
  14. VISIT TO AU BON CLIMAT & QUPÉ AND A GREAT UPCOMING WINE & FOOD EVENT
  15. CELEBRATIONS WITH OLD WINES & GOOD FRIENDS
  16. HAPPY THANKSGIVING 2017!
  17. RIDGE VINEYARDS - NEW RELEASES, A SPECIAL CHARITY EVENT FEATURING RIDGE WINES, & NOTES ON THREE GREAT OLD RIDGE WINES
  18. A VISIT TO DIAMOND CREEK VINEYARDS AND GREAT WINE AND FOOD
  19. 2016 THANKSGIVING POSTSCRIPT AND MORE!
  20. HAPPY THANKSGIVING 2016!
  21. PEOPLE AND WINE AGING TOGETHER
  22. SOME FAVORITE FOODS TO ACCOMPANY ROSÉS
  23. A GREAT WINE AND FOOD DINNER
  24. A GRAND WINE & FOOD DINNER IN VANCOUVER
  25. MOUNT EDEN VINEYARDS CABERNET SAUVIGNON 41 YEAR RETROSPECTIVE
  26. VANCOUVER RARITIES DINNER FEBRUARY 3, 2015 FEATURING BURGUNDY
  27. AN APPRECIATION OF WOLFGANG PUCK
  28. RARE VINTAGE PORT TASTING 1927--1963, FEATURING QUINTA DO NOVAL NACIONAL
  29. A GRAND FOOD & WINE EVENT FEATURING OLD CALIFORNIA CABERNETS FROM INGLENOOK AND DIAMOND CREEK
  30. LEROY TASTING
  31. OLD RED BURGUNDIES PLUS A COUPLE OF ZINGERS AT TWO VERY DIFFERENT RESTAURANTS
  32. FOOD AND WINE SUGGESTIONS FOR YOUR THANKSGIVING MEAL
  33. DOMAINE COCHE-DURY & CORTON-CHARLEMAGNE: A MAGICAL COMBINATION
  34. THANKSGIVING 2013
  35. REMEMBERING ROUSSANNE
  36. A GREAT FOOD & WINE DINNER FEATURING KRUG CHAMPAGNE
  37. THANKSGIVING PAST 2012 & 2011
  38. THANKSGIVING - 2012
  39. ANDRÉ L. SIMON’S PARTNERS (1951) REVISITED
  40. UNFORGETTABLE
  41. WHAT’S BETTER THAN A CELEBRATION? TWO CELEBRATIONS!
  42. FATHER’S DAY: ROSÉ AND SALMON & DAISY ON THE WALL!
  43. A UNIQUE ADVENTURE: TEN COUNTRIES IN EIGHTEEN DAYS VIA CAR, PLANE, TRAIN, AND BOAT
  44. THE DUCK STOPS HERE
  45. 2010 SANCERRES AND SOME FOOD SUGGESTIONS
  46. THANKSGIVING PAST - 2011
  47. THANKSGIVING - 2011
  48. CHEF ROBERTO CREATES A NEW DINING EXPERIENCE
  49. MORE 2010 FRENCH ROSÉS WITH FOOD PAIRINGS
  50. Food by Roberto Cortez - Wine by The Underground
  51. Don’t Miss The 27th Annual Central Coast Wine Classic – Four Event-filled Days In July Celebrating The Wines, Cuisine, Music, Art And Lifestyle Of California’s Central Coast
  52. An Accidental Thanksgiving Discovery
  53. Are You Ready For Something Different?
  54. Richard Wing – One of a Kind
  55. A Dinner To Remember At Hatfield’s
  56. A Mediterranean Cruise For Wine Lovers
  57. Uncorking My Favorite Summertime Sippers
  58. Enjoy Summertime’s Sippable Sherries
  59. What To Serve With Rosé
  60. Barbecuing and Entertaining Wine Choices
  61. A Grand Experience on Michigan’s Famous Mackinac Island
  62. Central Coast Wine Classic Dinner
  63. Mélisse Restaurant -- A Great Dining Experience
  64. The Fontainebleau Hotel’s Hakkasan Restaurant in Miami Beach & The World’s Most Unusual Wine List?
  65. Movies, Wine, Food and Drink
  66. Confessions of An Addict
  67. Ridge Vineyards Monte Bello Retrospective Dinner

UNFORGETTABLE

John Tilson • 10/9/12        Print This Post Print This PostComment Bookmark and Share

 

There are things in all of our lives that are truly unforgettable. For me and my wife Laurie, one of those things was Richard Wing and the Imperial Dynasty Restaurant in Hanford, California. It has now been two years since Richard’s passing. I miss him. He was not only a great kind and gentle person, he was a man of modesty and humility, and he was a great chef. Richard referred to himself as “humble Chinese cook”.  For me, he was way beyond a “Chinese cook”. He was, in fact one of the greatest chefs ever and a man way ahead of his time. Shortly after I heard of Richard’s death I wrote an article recounting his life and our experiences together (to read that article click here).

One of Richard’s greatest dishes was escargots. His version was truly unique and was always a part of his fabulous “Gourmet Dinners”. I know there are probably only a few people out there in this country who eat escargots any more . The “old style” French food is out of favor. But, Richard’s food was anything but that. It was, in fact “new style” French food with a Chinese twist. You will see that in his recipe. And, although sometimes the recipe might have the notation that peanut butter can be substituted for the cashew butter, Richard once told me that he thought that the Cashew butter was one of the most important ingredients to give it the Chinese influence. We always loved Richard’s Escargots a la Imperial Dynasty with a great bottle of Champagne. So, in a tribute to Richard, I am reproducing his recipe below. RIP my great friend and “humble Chinese cook”! You will always be loved and remembered.

 ESCARGOTS A LA IMPERIAL DYNASTY

(Makes 6-8 servings as an appetizer)

For the snails:
48 empty imported snail shells
Peanut oil
Garlic salt, to taste
48 imported French snails (canned)

For the sauce:
1½ cups butter
4 cloves garlic, mashed
2 tablespoons chopped shallots
4 slices ginger root, mashed
¼ teaspoon pepper
Pinch of nutmeg
1 tablespoon cashew butter
2 tablespoons puree of Cornish game hen
1 cup white wine
1 tablespoon chopped parsley.1/2 teaspoon salt
Juice of I fresh lime

For the garnish:
2 medium size onions, thinly sliced

Preheat over to 450 degrees. Wash and clean the shells in a wire basket, then parboil them in boiling water with 1 tablespoon baking soda. Rinse and drain. Deep fry the shells in hot peanut oil (350 degrees) for 1 minute. (Afterward keep the peanut oil hot.) Drain and sprinkle the insides of the shells with garlic salt. Place shells on baking sheet, and bake for 3 minutes. Set aside.

Remove the snails from the can, and place in the wire basket. Lower into boiling water for 10 seconds, and drain. Plunge into hot peanut oil for 5 seconds. Drain and set aside.

Heat the butter in a wok or skillet, and stir-fry the garlic, shallots and ginger root. Be careful not to brown these aromatics. Add all the other ingredients for the sauce, and stir until the mixture bubbles. Add the snails, but do not let the mixture reach the boiling point.

With a pair of chopsticks or a small cocktail fork, stuff each snail into a shell, inserting the soft part first. The fill each shell with the butter sauce, and put onto small snail plates. Drape sliced onion over the top.

When ready to serve, bake at 450 degrees for 8 to 10 minutes or until the sauce bubbles. Serve very hot with plenty of crusty French bread for dunking.

–Richard Wing, Imperial Dynasty

 

Post a Comment

No comments so far for “UNFORGETTABLE”

  • smortergiremal says:
    Your comment is awaiting moderation. This is a preview; your comment will be visible after it has been approved.
    When I originally commented I clicked the -Notify me when new comments are added- checkbox and now each time a comment is added I get four emails with the same comment. Is there any way you can remove me from that service? Thanks!
  • Créer un compte gratuit says:
    Your comment is awaiting moderation. This is a preview; your comment will be visible after it has been approved.
    Thank you for your sharing. I am worried that I lack creative ideas. It is your article that makes me full of hope. Thank you. But, I have a question, can you help me?
  • tlovertonet says:
    Your comment is awaiting moderation. This is a preview; your comment will be visible after it has been approved.
    A powerful share, I simply given this onto a colleague who was doing somewhat analysis on this. And he in actual fact bought me breakfast as a result of I discovered it for him.. smile. So let me reword that: Thnx for the treat! But yeah Thnkx for spending the time to discuss this, I feel strongly about it and love reading more on this topic. If possible, as you turn into experience, would you mind updating your blog with more particulars? It’s highly useful for me. Huge thumb up for this blog post!
  • Phillip Jacobs says:
    Your comment is awaiting moderation. This is a preview; your comment will be visible after it has been approved.
    That was not only the best escargot I had ever had, but the best dish I have ever eaten.
  • Post a Comment

    Leave a Reply

    Your email address will not be published.