Eel in green – Paling in large

Ingredients for 4 servings:

• 1 ½ kg eel(s), washed and skinned, cut into 5 cm long pieces
• 80 g butter
• 15 g shallot(s), chopped
• ½ clove(s) garlic, chopped
• 5 dl white wine, dry
• 4 dl fish stock
• 1 lemon(s), juice
• 20 g cornstarch
• salt and pepper
• 100 g spinach
• 30 g chervil
• 30 g parsley
• 60 g cress
• 50 g sorrel
• 20 g lemon balm
• 10 leaves of tarragon
• 3 sage leaves
• 3 peppermint leaves

Instructions

Working time approx. 30 minutes; Cooking/baking time approx. 20 minutes; Total time approx. 50 minutes

Flemish specialty

Rinse the eel pieces under running water and dry. Wash and drain all herbs. Blanch the spinach and drain as well. Finely chop the spinach and herbs and set aside in their juices in a bowl. Melt the butter in a saucepan, add the shallot and garlic, and sauté for one minute. Add the eel pieces, season with salt and pepper, and fry over high heat for 3 minutes, stirring gently occasionally. Deglaze with wine and fish fumet, cover, and simmer for 6-7 minutes. Remove the eel from the pan and keep warm. Reduce the liquid in the pan to half a liter, then thicken with cornstarch. Remove from the heat, stir the herbs and their juices into the sauce, season to taste with lemon juice, salt, and pepper. Add the eel back in. In Flanders, this dish is served with French fries, but baguette also goes well. The amount of herbs varies, of course, and every cook has their own combination.