Sea eels are large fish that belong to the acne family and live in the North Atlantic. They grow up to 3 meters in length, often reaching a mass of 110 kg.
In cooking, sea eels are very often used for cooking various dishes. In this article we will introduce you to several recipes where these serpentine fish are the main ingredient.
Fry eels in a pan
Sea eel (recipes with this product will be presented later) is a very nutritious fish. It contains a lot of healthy vitamins and minerals. Such fish is especially popular in Asian countries. Sushi and other dishes are made from it. We decided to tell you about how to fry eels. For this we need:
- marine eel - 1 pc.;
- medium-sized lemon - 2 pcs.;
- light flour - about 100 g;
- vegetable oil - at least 1/3 cup;
- table rock salt - apply to taste;
- seedless olives - 10 pcs.
Fish processing
Before you cook sea eel, it must be deprived of all available mucus. To do this, wash the fish thoroughly, and then rub table salt 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 opened and all the insides removed. Also, the head and tail are cut off from the eel. Subsequently, it is chopped with medium pieces no more than 5 centimeters thick and dried with paper towels.
Frying process
Sea eels are fried in a pan longer than ordinary fish. For this, vegetable oil is poured into the stewpan and it is heated very much. Meanwhile, flour is poured into a not-so-deep plate, and then pieces of fish are rolled in turn.
After the oil begins to boil, eel is spread in it and fried on both sides until a brownish crust appears.
Serve for a family dinner
Now you know how sea eel is fried. The recipes for cooking using this fish are very simple.
After the product is browned on both sides, it is laid out on a plate. Then pieces of blackheads are sprayed with lemon juice and served to the table with olives and a slice of bread.
Stew fish on the stove
If you want to get not a fried, but a stew, then we recommend using this recipe. Using it, you will make a real fish goulash, which can be served at the table with any side dish.
So, for a stew we need:
- eel - about 600 g;
- white onion - a large head;
- Bulgarian pepper - 2 pcs.;
- garlic cloves - 2 pcs.;
- sunflower oil - 4 large spoons;
- tomato paste - a large spoon;
- dry white wine - a full glass;
- sprigs of parsley and dill - 50 g each;
- ground pepper and salt - to taste.
We process products
Braised eel, a photo of which is presented in this article, is a tasty and satisfying dish. Before you cook it, you must process all the products.
White onions 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 separately rinse the branches of dill and parsley, and then finely chop them with a knife.
Pre-frying vegetables
To get the most flavorful dish, vegetables are pre-fried in a pan. To do this, pour sunflower oil into a deep stewpan and heat it over high heat. Then they add the Bulgarian pepper and onions to it. Stirring regularly, the ingredients are fried until completely transparent.
Extinguishing process
After the vegetables are well cooked, pre-processed and chopped eels are laid out to them (how to process, see above). Then they pour dry white wine, a little water (about ½ cup), add tomato paste, pepper, salt and chopped greens. All ingredients are covered with a lid and stewed under it for about half an hour.
After this time, the volume of water in the pan should decrease markedly, and blackheads should become as soft and fragrant as possible.
Presenting for dinner
Having prepared a kind of fish goulash, it is immediately flavored with grated cloves of garlic and presented to the table. To do this, spread the beloved side dish on the plate, and then generously pour it in tomato broth with vegetables and place several pieces of sea eels.
Such a hearty and nutritious dish is served for dinner along with a slice of bread and some salad.
How to cook sea eel in the oven?
There are many ways to make sea eel. About how to stew and fry it, we described above. However, some cooks prefer to bake this type of fish in the oven.
So, to prepare a delicious dinner, we need:
- marine eel - 3 pcs.;
- table rock salt - apply to taste;
- ground pepper - to taste;
- breadcrumbs - about 250 g;
- butter - approximately 140 g.
Fish preparation
To prepare baked eel, it is washed well, and then rock salt is rubbed. This is necessary in order to remove all the existing mucus from the fish.
After sustaining the salty product for ¼ hour, it is again lowered into cold water, but at the same time the belly is opened and all the internal parts are taken out. Also, the head and tail are cut off from the eel.
We form a dish
Having processed sea fish, it is abundantly lubricated with soft butter. Then, breadcrumbs and ground pepper are mixed in a separate bowl. In the resulting mass, eel is rolled and laid on a dry baking sheet.
Heat treatment process
After all the fish, boned in breadcrumbs, is on the sheet, it is immediately sent to a preheated oven. Prepare blackheads at a temperature of 190 degrees for 38 minutes. During this time, the product should become as soft and ruddy as possible.
In the event that you have only one eel, it is better to bake it in foil. In addition to it, you can lay out any vegetables and greens.
Presenting the dish to the dining table
Having prepared sea eels in the oven, they are carefully removed. Beautifully placing the fish on a plate, it is decorated with mayonnaise net, as well as slices of fresh lemon and sprigs of greenery. In this form, a delicious and nutritious lunch is presented to the table. In addition to it, you can make a salad of fresh vegetables or cook some side dish (optional).
To summarize
As you can see, cooking sea eels at home is nothing complicated. It should be noted that using this product, some culinary specialists make not only the second dish, but also the first.
The principle of making soup is very similar to the process of stewing eels. Only instead of a stewpan should use a pot, and instead of wine - ordinary drinking water. The ear from such a fish turns out to be very rich and satisfying.