Jellied Eels

Method

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1. Rinse the eel pieces under cold running water until it runs clear.

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2. Put the water, vinegar, onion, bay, peppercorns, allspice, mace and salt in a wide pan and bring to a simmer. Cook 10 minutes.

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3. Lower in the eel pieces in a single layer.

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4. Bring back to the barest tremble — never a boil — and poach 25 minutes, until the flesh comes away from the bone easily.

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5. Take the pan off the heat, add the lemon juice, and leave the eel to cool in its liquid 60 minutes.

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6. Lift the pieces into bowls or a shallow dish and strain the liquid over them through a fine sieve.

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7. Refrigerate 6 hours, until the stock has set to a firm clear jelly.

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8. Serve cold, straight from the dish, with vinegar and white pepper.

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Chef’s Tips

• A tremble, never a boil. Boiling gives a cloudy, greasy jelly.
• No gelatine. The eel sets its own stock.
• Cool them in the liquid, not on a plate.

Common Substitutions & Variations

• A pinch of dried chilli flakes works in place of fresh chilli — start with about a third of the quantity the chilli in the list implies, since dried chilli is more concentrated, and add more to taste.

Pairing Suggestions

• Malt vinegar
• White pepper
• Bread and butter

Storage & Reheating

Refrigerated for 3 days in their jelly. Do not freeze.

Common questions

Nutritional Highlights

Per serving, calculated from the ingredient list. Treat these as an estimate — brands and cuts vary.