To make this recipe we have started from farming snails, that are already served purged and are cleaner than those from the field. If we use wild snails, it is necessary to purge them by keeping them in a cool, dry place without eating for a week before starting the recipe.
Whether or not they are cultivated, it is convenient wash the snails once purged. To do this, we put them in a pan with cold water, abundant salt and a splash of vinegar, so that they finish releasing the slime. Remember to put the lid on because otherwise they will escape. After half an hour we wash them by hand in the tap and, if they are wild snails, we repeat the process.
After the last wash, we place them in the pot where we are going to cook them –better if it is large, because we will put all the rest of the ingredients there–, cover them with water and add the chorizo, the black pudding, the ham, a whole head of garlic unpeeled, two bay leaves, two or three cayenne peppers (or more if we like them more spicy) and salt. Cover the pot and bring the stew to a boil.
Meanwhile, we prepare a sauce in a frying pan, with olive oil and a finely chopped onion. Leave the onion cooking and, in a mortar, mash two or three cloves of garlic, a handful of chopped parsley and a pinch of salt. We add it to the sauce. We also add a tablespoon of tomato sauce (better if it is homemade). Let everything cook for a few minutes and, with low heat, add a teaspoon of sweet paprika and a couple of tablespoons of flour. Cook for another minute and add the sauce to the pot with the snails. Stir well, cover, and cook over medium-low heat for around 30 to 45 minutes.
The ideal is, at this point, to turn off the heat and let the stew rest throughout the day, although if we are in a hurry they can be eaten right away. When we go to serve them, we add a sprig of mint when heating it and cut the black pudding, the chorizo and the ham into bite-sized pieces.