How to cook sea eel. Eel dishes - recipes with photos

Belonging to the eel family and living in the North Atlantic. They grow up to 3 meters in length, often reaching a weight of 110 kg.

In cooking, conger eels are very often used for cooking various dishes. In this article we will present you several recipes where these snake-like fish are the main ingredient.

Frying eels in a frying pan

Sea eel (recipes with this product will be presented below) is very nutritious fish. It contains a lot useful vitamins and minerals. This fish is especially popular in Asian countries. Sushi and other dishes are made from it. We decided to tell you about how to properly fry sea eels. For this we need:

sea eel - 1 pc.;
medium-sized lemon - 2 pcs.;
light flour - about 100 g;
vegetable oil - at least 1/3 cup;
pitted olives - 10 pcs.

Fish processing

Before you cook conger eel, it must be deprived of all existing mucus. To do this, wash the fish thoroughly, and then rub cooking oil into it. After keeping the product in this form for about ¼ hour, it is rinsed again in cold water, but at the same time the belly is ripped open and all the entrails are removed. The head and tail are also cut off from the eel. Subsequently, it is chopped into medium pieces no more than 5 centimeters thick and dried with paper towels.

Frying process

Sea eels take longer to fry than regular fish. To do this, pour into a saucepan vegetable oil and heat it up very much. Meanwhile, pour flour into a not very deep plate, and then roll in the pieces of fish one by one.

After the oil begins to boil, place the eels in it and fry on both sides until a brownish crust appears.

Serve for family dinner

Now you know how conger eel is fried. Recipes for cooking dishes using this fish are very simple.

After the product is browned on both sides, place it on a plate. Then the eel pieces are sprinkled lemon juice and served to the table along with olives and a slice of bread.

on the stove

If you want to get not fried, but stew, then we recommend using this recipe. Using it you will make a real fish goulash, which can be served along with any side dish.

So, for the stew we will need:

eel - approximately 600 g;
white onion - large head;
bell pepper - 2 pcs.;
garlic cloves - 2 pcs.;
sunflower oil- 4 large spoons;
tomato paste - large spoon;
dry white wine - a full glass;
sprigs of parsley and dill - 50 g each;
ground and table salt - to taste.

We process products

The stewed conger eel, the photo of which is presented in this article, is delicious and hearty dish. Before preparing it, it is necessary to process all the products.

White and bell peppers are washed well, the peel and stalks are removed, and then cut into small cubes. As for garlic, it is grated or crushed. Also rinse the sprigs of dill and parsley separately, and then finely chop them with a knife.

Pre-frying vegetables

To get the maximum aromatic dish vegetables are pre-fried in a frying pan. To do this, pour sunflower oil into a deep saucepan and heat it over high heat. Then add bell pepper to it and onion. Stirring regularly, fry the ingredients until completely transparent.

Extinguishing process

After the vegetables are thoroughly fried, pre-processed and chopped eels are placed on them (see above for how to process). Next, add dry white wine, a little water (about ½ cup), add tomato paste, pepper, salt and chopped herbs. All ingredients are covered with a lid and simmered under it for about half an hour.

After this time, the volume of water in the pan should decrease noticeably, and the eels should become as soft and aromatic as possible.

Serving for lunch

Having prepared a kind of fish goulash, it is immediately flavored with grated cloves of garlic and presented to the table. To do this, place your favorite side dish on a plate and then generously pour it over it. tomato broth with vegetables and place a few pieces of sea eels.

So satisfying and nutritious dish served for lunch with a slice of bread and some salad.

How to cook conger eel in the oven?

There are many ways to prepare conger eel. We talked above about how to stew and fry it. However, some chefs prefer to bake this type of fish in the oven.

So, to prepare have a delicious lunch we will need:

sea eel - 3 pcs.;
table rock salt - use to taste;
ground pepper - to taste;
breadcrumbs - about 250 g;
butter - approximately 140 g.

Preparing the fish

To prepare baked eel, wash it well and then rub it rock salt. This is necessary in order to remove all existing mucus from the fish.

Having endured salty product for ¼ hour, it is again immersed in cold water, but at the same time the belly is ripped open and all the internal parts are removed. The head and tail are also cut off from the eel.

Forming the dish

After processing the sea fish, it is generously greased with soft butter. Then mix in a separate bowl breadcrumbs And ground pepper. Roll the eels in the resulting mixture and place them on a dry baking sheet.

Heat treatment process

After all the fish, coated in breadcrumbs, is on the sheet, it is immediately sent to a preheated oven. Cook sea eels at a temperature of 190 degrees for 38 minutes. During this time, the product should become as soft and rosy as possible.

If you only have one eel, it is better to bake it in foil. Additionally, you can add any vegetables and herbs to it.

Presenting the dish to the dinner table

After cooking the sea eels in the oven, carefully remove them. Having beautifully arranged the fish on a plate, it is decorated with a mayonnaise mesh, as well as slices fresh lemon and sprigs of greenery. In this form, a tasty and nutritious lunch is presented to the table. In addition to it, you can make a salad from fresh vegetables or prepare any side dish (optional).

Let's sum it up

As you can see, there is nothing complicated in preparing sea eels at home. It should be noted that using this product, some chefs do not only but also the first.

The principle of making soup is very similar to the process of stewing eels. Only instead of a saucepan you should use a saucepan, and instead of wine - a regular one drinking water. Ukha from such fish turns out to be very rich and satisfying.

In all centuries, people have been reverent about fish. In every country culinary masters developed our own unique dishes from this useful product. Special treatment in many regions globe to eel delicacies. This is a rather rare guest in our rivers, so its cost is sometimes prohibitive. But in terms of taste and healing properties, it can compete with many marine inhabitants. The serpentine eel fish is a predatory species and constantly migrates from freshwater rivers to the seas.

Description

Uninformed people often confuse it with a snake, since in appearance it is very similar to it. The eel's body is elongated, its head is small, and its skin is slippery. When you see a predator, you might think that its body is completely naked, but this is an illusion. After clearing it of abundant mucus, you can notice the smallest scales.

The color range varies from dark green to bluish-black. The abdomen is either light white or bluish. Eel fish can grow up to two meters in length. To lay eggs, it swims to the depths of the sea; after spawning, the individual dies immediately. The female can lay up to 500 thousand eggs.

Predatory fish eel: where is it found, its variety?

The first mention of this species appeared more than a hundred million years ago. At first, the habitat was recorded off the coast of Indonesia. Adults move frequently. For what reason this happens is not yet clear. But it is known for sure that eels like the clay bottom, in which they find food (crustaceans, worms, snails).

Young fish first live in a fresh ground river, densely populated with vegetation. By burying themselves in the mud, they protect themselves from various predators. Adult eels can be seen in reeds, under large stones and sedge thickets. These inhabitants prefer to get food for themselves at night, and for their own safety they change color.

Fish is usually divided into river and sea fish, although such a classification is not entirely appropriate, since individuals constantly move from freshwater to salt water.

The river eel has a brown-green tint. Fish with a small amount of scales lives in the Azov, Black, White, Barents and Baltic seas. These predators are quite tenacious and are able to exist even without water and overcome considerable distances on wet grass. Don't be surprised if you come across "creeping" specimens in some body of water. Such fish will be distinguished by its fat content and high nutritional value.

The conger eel is awarded a monochromatic black body. The fish is also practically without scales. Thanks to its inconspicuous color, it can easily disguise itself as dirt. Habitat: North Atlantic basins. Both predators feed on small fish, crayfish and larvae. Until now, experts cannot fully study the life of these subspecies due to their secrecy. They rarely appear on the surface of the water and are increasingly found at great depths. This makes it difficult to observe and study.

Benefit

The fish is especially popular in Japan. In this country, they believe that the meat of these creatures is an excellent tonic and improves performance. Healthy fish oil from eel prevents heart pathologies. The pulp contains many proteins, polyunsaturated and saturated fatty acids, which help rejuvenate cells and get rid of nervous diseases.

IN dietary nutrition The conger eel is more prized. Fish, beneficial features the meat of which is difficult to overestimate, very nutritious. It contains potassium and iodine. And, as you know, these minerals help strengthen the heart muscle and protect our thyroid gland. Conger eel meat is low in calories, which is very important for dietary nutrition.

It contains a wide range of valuable vitamins (A, B, E, D) and protein. Regular use Eating this delicacy in any variation strengthens the immune system and has a beneficial effect on the entire body as a whole. Dishes made from it are indicated for gout, rheumatism, malaise, depression, central nervous system disease, and atherosclerosis. Looking at the Japanese who periodically eat fish and are different good health and high performance, you can be convinced of healing properties meat of this predator.

Use in cooking

Eel fish is an expensive delicacy, it is served in best restaurants peace. And this is not surprising, because the meat of this subspecies is very tender, soft and extremely healthy. And the pulp of the river inhabitant is characterized by high fat content. The carcass is stewed, smoked, fried, baked and boiled - in any interpretation it turns out incomparable.

Spicy and unforgettable taste qualities are revealed when preparing first courses. Those who have tried fish soup or eel soup say that the dish outshines the taste of any other. Each country has its own original recipes. For example, in Lithuania it is customary to serve smoked eel with beer. Italy is famous for its grilled fish with green salad.

No matter how colorful the information is presented, the taste and aroma of eel cannot be described. Try to prepare the delicacy yourself, just be extremely careful when cutting it. Eel blood is toxic, and if it gets on the wound, an inflammatory process can begin.

How to cook eel fish: recipes

Cold appetizer in the form of salad. To prepare it you will need smoked fish eel (three hundred grams), potatoes (3 pcs.), bell pepper, three eggs, parsley, green onions, balsamic vinegar ( dessert spoon), as many olive oil and spices to taste.

Cooking process

Boil eggs and potatoes, chop into small cubes or cut into thin slices. Pepper - into strips. Fish fillet - pieces. Place green leaves on the bottom of a flat plate, on top - potatoes, eggs, pepper, eel, chopped parsley - sprinkle with vinegar and oil.

Exotic soup

Ingredients: eel carcass (600 grams), one carrot, frozen peas (half a cup), leek and celery. You will also need two liters of pre-boiled chicken broth, one hundred grams of any dried fruits and fresh pear. Can't do without a spoon wine vinegar, black pepper, garlic salt and granulated sugar(five grams).

Cooking method

Fill boiled water dried fruits (raisins, dried apricots, prunes). Place grated carrots, sliced celery and leeks into the hot broth. Let it boil a little and add the swollen fruit. Let the liquid boil for 7 minutes, and then add the chopped portioned pieces eel along with sugar, vinegar, salt and pepper.

Reduce heat to low and simmer for 15 minutes. While the soup is preparing, let's take care of the pear - cut it into thin slices and sauté butter. Place the remaining ingredients into the broth: peas, chopped parsley. Pour into portions and garnish with a piece of fried pear.

Eel is a universally recognized delicacy that can be considered a truly royal delicacy. The popularity of eel is based on the excellent nutritional characteristics and considerable health benefits of the fish.

History and geography of the product

Eel is the common name for fish of the eel order. (Anguilliformes), which are characterized by a long snake-like body. Its meat is considered a delicacy in Europe and Asia. It is known that eel was an important source of food for the Maori tribe. For fishing, the New Zealand aborigines built dams at the outlets of the lagoons. The eel was caught in the fall, when it went downstream to the sea to spawn. To store living individuals in water, special cage pots were equipped. The container could hold up to 300 fish. The cages were placed in a stream and tied to a pole or tree. They fed the eels in improvised cages with potatoes or other products.

Later, the Maori learned to build special shelters in the water for fish. These were dams more than 4 m long, 1 m wide and 0.5 m high. The top of the pit was covered with manuka branches, the bottom of the reservoir was blocked with stones, and the top was left free. The eels themselves gathered in a house equipped for them, where they were caught.

Today, fish is an important commercial commodity. The river species lives in the Baltic, Azov, Black, White, Barents and Caspian seas, and is found in the European regions of Russia. Since 2010, the freshwater eel has been included in the Red Book. Its marine counterpart is found in the North and Mediterranean seas, near the Faroe Islands, in the south of Norway, in the waters of the eastern Atlantic, being a valuable object for fishing. The American Anguilla rostrata, Japanese and southern Anguilla are of commercial importance.

Types and varieties

There are several varieties of fish. Nelson's classification recognizes three suborders, 15 families, 141 genera, and about 738 species of Anguilliformes. Another version (according to Fishebs) recognizes the presence of 15 families, but 4 suborders. The eel was classified more simply in ancient times. According to legend, a giant eel once frightened the wives of the demigod Maui. As punishment, Maui decided to "cut" the snake in half. As a result, one half of the worm landed on the sea and turned into a conger eel, the other fell into the river and became a freshwater fish.

Let's talk more about these Anguilliformes species...

1. Swamp eel- a freshwater representative of the family synbranchidae, living in the tropics. In India they are called kusia. There are two categories of fish:

Marbled eel (Synbranchus marmoratus) grows up to 150 cm in length.
Bombay eel (Monopterus isindicus) reaches no more than 8 cm.

2. Sea eel- found in the sea, grows up to 1.8 m. There are blind representatives of marine species (tuere). They have no eyes, secrete blue mucus, have no backbone, and grow up to 1 m in length.

Fish of the order Anguilliformes lack fins on the chest and belly, and the anal and dorsal fins are also rudimentary. The eel's eyes are small; in some individuals living in caves, they are located under the skin. Most species can breathe oxygen and stay on land for some time. In their lifestyle they resemble amphibians.

Beneficial features

According to composition and nutritional characteristics there are differences between the river eel and sea view fish. The first type has energy value 100g/184 kcal. In turn, the marine type is fattier, but has less calories - by 100g/100 kcal. Eel meat contains fats, proteins, vitamins A, C, D, E, group B, potassium, folic acid, magnesium, phosphorus, calcium, zinc, iron, selenium.

The Japanese value fish for a large number of vitamin A. It helps strengthen teeth and bones, is good for vision, and ensures the integrity of the skin. Omega 3 and 6, which are essential for humans, have particular health benefits. Substances can prevent the development of cancer, vision problems, and help the body resist the aging process of the skin.

Despite low calorie content, fish has a high fat content, which is why experts recommend it in dietary nutrition and advise using it to prevent rickets. The toxins contained in the eel's blood are used as a remedy for anaphylaxis. The serum was used by Charles Robert Richet, a Nobel Prize winner.

Taste qualities

Eel is loved by gourmets for its soft, tender meat. Snake-shaped fish tastes similar to salmon, however, a little richer in taste. nutritional quality and much juicier because high concentration fat

Use in cooking

Freshwater eels are especially popular in Europe and Asia; they are loved for their rich, sweet meat, which is considered a delicacy. The Japanese cook and river (unagi), and sea (anagi) individuals. It is a fairly popular but expensive food there. Eels are used in Shanghai and Cantonese cuisine. In New Zealand, fish is considered traditional dish in the diet. In Germany they love smoked meat. In India, fish curry is prepared from eel or fried foods. In China, fish is considered a delicacy and is prepared in the form of a casserole with garlic, green onions, bamboo shoots, rice wine and soy sauce.

How can you cook eel?

Wrap in rangiora or green flax leaves and grill over charcoal.
Air dry or dry over heat on a wire rack.
Make a mousse from smoked eel, apples and beets.
Cook soup with eel and herbs.
Bake into a pie with fish filling.
Make aspic with eel and watercress sauce.
Stew with tomatoes, garlic, rice.
Marinate in vinegar with bay leaf.
Fry with black beans.
Make rolls from it.

What does eel go with?

Spices, seasonings: Bay leaf, cloves, pepper (peas), mustard, thyme, sage.
Sauces: soy, barbecue.
Fruits: citrus.
Vegetables: onions, garlic, capers, tomatoes.
Greens: lettuce, parsley, nori seaweed.
Cereals: rice, black beans.
Dairy products: cream.
Oil: olive, butter.
Drinks: cider, white wine, sherry.
Meat: chicken.
Seafood: shrimp, salmon.

A traveler in the East may be offered raw eel in sashimi or another dish. We advise you to refuse similar delicacy... Fish blood contains toxic substances (neurotoxins), and if they get into food, a person can become poisoned. During heat treatment, harmful compounds are destroyed.

Appetizing conger eel... Traditionally it is consumed smoked, but sometimes it’s useful to break stereotypes? Try frying this unusual fish after soaking it in the marinade. It is known that conger eel is an incredibly fatty product. The marinade will relieve the fish from excess fat and will emphasize the amazingly delicate taste, spices will add piquancy, and golden roasting will give the dish an elegant and attractive appearance. Fried eel will become real highlight of the program and anyone will do festive table outstanding.

How to fry eel recipe

You will need:

conger eel – 0.5 kg
vinegar 9% - 1 tbsp.
onion – 1 pc.
black pepper (peas) - 7 pcs.
cloves – 4 pcs.
garlic – 3 cloves
flour - 3 tbsp.
turmeric – 0.5 tsp.
olive oil – 2 tbsp.
anise, thyme, salt - to taste

Fried conger eel: Cooking technology

1. Cut open the belly of the conger eel and carefully remove the insides. Get rid of the head and tail. Rinse the fish thoroughly in a strong stream cold water, trying to remove any remaining mucus on the skin. First, it is better to rub the skin of the eel with a large sea salt, which will play the role of a scrub. Dry the fish and cut it into pieces 7-9 cm long.

2. Marinade. Add spices to boiling water (0.7 l): cloves, anise, pepper, thyme and salt. Boil for 5-7 minutes and then cool. Add to cold marinade onion, thinly sliced into rings, chopped garlic and pour in vinegar.

3. Immerse the fish pieces in the marinade and leave them alone for 6 hours.

4. After the specified period, remove the fish from the marinade and dry on a towel.

5.Mix flour and turmeric in a deep bowl and roll the conger eel pieces in this mixture. Quickly fry the fish in a frying pan until an appetizing golden crust appears.

6. It is better to serve conger eel on lettuce leaves, in the company of potatoes and fresh vegetables. A great addition they'll go to the fish delicious croutons. And fried eel makes a very good combination with beer.

Fish dishes are tasty and healthy, but they can also be unusual or even exotic if you use less popular ingredients. For example, something interesting and delicious can be prepared from eel.

Fish or snake?

Eel is a tropical fish belonging to the eel family. There are nineteen species in total, and all of them are eaten by people. The striking feature of the eel is that it closely resembles a snake, and this resemblance is achieved due to its elongated, wriggling body. It is flattened on the sides; there are fins on the back and on the other side near the tail. The head is small, the mouth is large and literally strewn with small teeth. Such an aquatic inhabitant is considered a predator and feeds on crustaceans, snails, and as it grows, it begins to eat small fish.

Eel is highly valued, considered a delicacy and is actively used in cooking. Firstly, it is incredibly healthy and nutritious, as it contains polyunsaturated fatty acids, minerals, vitamins and other substances. The calorie content of one hundred grams of the product is about 330 calories, which is quite a lot when compared with other varieties or even meat. Secondly, eel has an unusual rich taste. The pulp is tender, fatty and slightly sweet.

How to prepare eel?

Before you start cooking, you need to get the eel in order. For this:

First, wash the fish well. It will slip out of your hands, so carry out manipulations in the sink.
Next, remove the mucus. It is very difficult and takes a long time to wash off, but you can speed up the process by rubbing the carcass with salt, leaving it for fifteen or twenty minutes, and then washing off the residue. If the mucus is not completely gone, then rub the eel coarse salt or even sand.
Now it's time to learn how to clean a blackhead. You need to remove the skin so that it does not interfere with enjoyment. tender meat fish. For convenience, fix the carcass on a board (European chefs advise nailing it, but you can use a sharp knife), make an incision around the head and remove the skin, like a stocking.
Gut the fish by making a cut along the belly with a sharp knife and removing all excess from there.
Wash the fish again.

Eel dishes

How to properly cook eel? There are many different dishes based on such an ingredient, and we will consider some of them below.

Recipe one

Incredibly tasty eel can be cooked in the oven. The following ingredients will be required:

eel carcass;
half a glass of classic soy sauce;
50 ml water;
a tablespoon of honey;
a teaspoon of sesame seeds;
pepper;
salt.

Preparation:

First, prepare the fish: wash, remove mucus, remove skin, gut. Now cut the carcass into medium-sized portions.
Start preparing the marinade sauce. Mix soy sauce with water, add honey. Place the mixture on the fire and cook until thick. Add sesame seeds to the marinade, immerse the chopped eel in it and leave for half an hour to an hour.
Prepare foil, place marinated pieces of eel on it and wrap them.
Place the wrapped fish on a baking sheet or in a mold and place in an oven preheated to 190 degrees for half an hour.
The remaining marinade can be brought to a boil again and simmer for a minute, and then served as a sauce for fish. It will turn out very tasty.

Recipe two

You can cook tender eel creamy soup. Prepare the following ingredients:

500 g eel;
1.5 cups cream;
liter of water;
small onion;
80-90 grams of rice (any kind will do, but long grain is better);
a teaspoon of salt (change the amount at your discretion);
a little vegetable oil;
pepper and other seasonings to your taste.

Instructions:

Take care of the eel. After cleaning and gutting it, the pulp should be cut into medium-sized cubes. Peel the onion and either chop it or cut it into thin half rings. Heat the oil in a frying pan and fry the onion and eel in it. When it starts to form golden brown crust, and the onion will become soft, turn off the heat.
Bring water to a boil in a saucepan, add pre-washed rice and cook until tender.
If the rice is ready, add fried eels and onions to the soup, and also add cream.
Cook the soup covered for three minutes, then add seasonings and salt, after a minute remove the pan from the heat.

Recipe three

By stewing eel with tomatoes, you will get a complete and appetizing hot dish.

You will need the following ingredients:

1 kg eel;
400-500 g of ripe fleshy tomatoes;
bulb;
two or three cloves of garlic;
2/3 glass of wine (both red and white are suitable, but preferably semi-sweet);
a pinch of aromatic seasoning, such as rosemary;
3-4 tbsp. l. olive oil;
salt;
pepper.

Process description:

The eel needs to be cleaned and gutted, and then cut in any way (but the pieces should not be very small).
Onions can be cut into half rings. Grind the tomatoes in any way, for example, in a blender or simply chop finely with a knife. Garlic can be passed through a press or grated.
Heat oil in a frying pan. Fry the onion for a minute, then add the eel. After three minutes, add the tomatoes. Fry everything together for just a couple of minutes so that the fish acquires a pleasant color.
Now pour in the wine, add salt, seasoning and pepper, cover the frying pan with a lid, and simmer the dish until cooked for about ten or fifteen minutes.

Tips to help you cook eel at home, if not perfectly, then definitely successfully:

The mucus must be removed completely, as it can give the dish an unpleasant taste, as well as an unattractive gray tint.
If you don't like the smell sea fish, then marinate the carcass first. To do this, simply sprinkle it with fresh lemon juice and rub with salt. Also eliminate bad smell will help aromatic seasonings, such as rosemary, basil, thyme. But their quantity should not be too large, otherwise they will simply drown out the natural taste of the fish.
Since eel itself is fatty, it is best served with light side dishes, such as vegetables.
Heat treatment should be moderate, but too long will worsen the taste and make the pulp not so tender and juicy.

If you have never tried eel dishes, be sure to cook one of them. You will definitely like it!