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Caldeirada de enguias
Eel stew with potatoes and peppers
Caldeirada de enguias: Aveiro lagoon eel stew with potatoes, peppers and tomato
Eels from the Ria de Aveiro, the lagoon behind the town, are a speciality of Murtosa and Torreira, where caldeirada is cooked in layers in a wide pot and eaten at long tables in waterside restaurants. Onions, potatoes, tomato and peppers stew with the eel pieces in olive oil until the broth is rich and orange, and it is ladled over slices of bread. Ask the fishmonger to skin and clean the eels; eel blood is toxic when raw, but thorough cooking makes it completely safe. Chef's tip: shake the pot rather than stirring once the eel is in, so the pieces stay whole.
- Total time
- 70 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
- 2 ¼ lb eelsskinned, cleaned and cut into 5 cm pieces by the fishmonger
- ½ cup olive oil
- 2 onionssliced into rings
- 4 cloves garlicsliced
- 3 ripe tomatoessliced
- 1 red peppercut into strips
- 1 ½ lb waxy potatoespeeled, sliced 1 cm thick
- 2 tsp sweet paprika
- 2 tsp salt
- 1 ¾ cups water
- 3 tbsp parsleychopped
- 4 slices day-old breadtoasted
Optional
- 1 fresh red chilli (optional)sliced
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Method
0/5 doneStep 2: Pour half the ½ cup olive oil into a wide, heavy pot. Layer in half the 2 onions, 4 cloves garlic, 3 ripe tomatoes, 1 red pepper and 1 ½ lb waxy potatoes, then add the 2 bay leaves and half the 2 tsp sweet paprika.
10 minStep 3: Repeat the layers with the rest of the vegetables, sprinkle with the remaining paprika and salt, add the 1 fresh red chilli if using, the rest of the oil and the 1 ¾ cups water. Cover and simmer for 20 minutes, until the potatoes are nearly tender.
22 minStep 4: Lay the eel pieces on top, cover and cook for 15–20 minutes, shaking the pot now and then, until the eel is white right through, firm and coming away from the bone. A common mistake is serving it underdone: eel must be cooked through.
18 minStep 5: Scatter with the 3 tbsp parsley. Put a slice of 4 slices day-old bread in each warm bowl and ladle the stew and broth over the top.
2 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 720 kcal
- Protein
- 38 g
- Carbs
- 52 g
- Fat
- 40 g
- Fibre
- 6 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does caldeirada de enguias take?
- About 70 minutes in total: 25 minutes to prepare and 45 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 4 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- What can I use instead of onions?
- 2 shallots per onion.
- What can I use instead of garlic?
- ½ tsp garlic paste or ⅛ tsp garlic powder per clove.
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