E is for Eels

Try them before you say eeew!

The Eel begins and ends its life in the Atlantic Ocean, after hatching from its egg it grows into a baby Eel or an elver and this tiny silver thread like creature slowly makes its way on its long journey up to the rivers, if European in Britain it will also live in lakes and streams, like a snake in appearance it is slimy and varies in colour from dark brown or olive green on the back to a yellowish white to golden on the underbelly, this changes to a silvery white as it reaches adulthood and prepares to migrate back to the Atlantic ocean where it will breed and die, the adult eel weighs up to 2lbs and grows up to two feet in length, they eat snails, slugs and worms, as well as eating live fish it is a carrion eating those that have died, they can be fried, boiled or smoked but the most famous way of eating them is “jellied”.

Eel Pie

3/4 pint Cold Water.
1 oz Plain Flour
1 Egg
1 oz Butter
Sprinkle of Salt [to your taste]
Sprinkle of Butter [to your taste]
1 tablespoon of Parsley
Pinch of Nutmeg [to your taste]
1 Lemon.
1 Small Onion
120z Puff Pastry
2lb Eels

Instructions

[1] Wash and skin the Eels and remove the heads and tails.
[2] Cut the Eels into pieces about two inches in length
[3] Pour a little of the water into a pan and in it place the eel heads and tails, boil them for about and hour [this will make the fish stock]
[4] Chop the parsley.
[5] Cut the lemon in half and squeese from it its juice into a small bowl.
[6] Chop the Onion.
[7] Place the Eels in the bottom of a pie dish.
[8] Cover the eels with the chopped onion.
[9] Cover the eels and onion with the chopped parsley.
[10] Sprinkle over the dish a little of the salt and pepper [to your taste]
[11] Sprinkle over the nutmeg [to your taste]
[12] Remove the pan of eel heads and tails from the boil.
[13] Remove the eel heads and tails from the stock and disperse of them.
[14] Pour a quarter of the eel stock onto the eels and other ingredients
[15] Break the egg and mix it with a fork.
[16] Roll out the pastry to make a lid for the pie,
[17] Place the lid onto the pie and make a slit or small hole to allow the steam to escape.
[18] Brush the pie with the egg to make a glaze.
[19] Place the pie into an oven and cook for twenty to thirty minutes at 425 until the pastry begins to puff up and brown, then turn down the heat to 180F
[20] In a pan melt the butter, and add the plain flour. and the remaining eel stock and stir until until it becomes thick,
[21] Add the lemon juice to the sauce
[22] Remove the pie from the oven, and carefully remove its lid.
[23] Pour the eel sauce into the pie
[24] Replace the pie lid and replace the dish back into the oven for five more minutes.
[25] Remove the pie from the oven
[26] Place on a serving plate.
[27] Serve and enjoy.

Serves Four

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