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Paling in 't groen
Eel in green herb sauce
Paling in 't groen: Flemish eel stewed in a green herb sauce
BelgianPaling in 't groen, 'eel in green', is the old riverside dish of the Scheldt valley between Antwerp and Ghent, served in summer in cafés along the river at places like Hamme and Lillo: pieces of eel cooked briefly in butter, then simmered in a vivid green sauce of sorrel, spinach, chervil, parsley, tarragon, mint and sage, thickened with egg yolk. It is eaten hot or cold with fries or bread. European eel is critically endangered, so buy only eel from a legal, responsibly managed source, cleaned and skinned by the fishmonger, or use thick pieces of another firm, oily fish such as mackerel. A common mistake is cooking the herbs for long, which turns the sauce khaki. Chef's tip: add the herbs only for the last 3 minutes, then bind with yolk off the heat. The fish is cooked when firm and opaque at the bone.
- Total time
- 60 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
For the eel
- 1 ¾ lb eel, skinned and cleanedcut into 5 cm pieces
- 1 ⅜ oz butter
- 2 shallotschopped
- 1 ¼ cups fish stock
- ¾ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp white pepper
For the green sauce
- 2 ⅛ oz sorrelchopped
- 3 ½ oz spinachchopped
- 2 ⅛ oz chervil, parsley, tarragon, mint and sagechopped
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
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Method
0/5 doneStep 1: Melt 1 ⅜ oz butter in a wide pan and fry 1 ¾ lb eel, skinned and cleaned and 2 shallots for 4 minutes, turning, until the eel firms.
4 minStep 2: Add 1 ¼ cups fish stock, ¾ tsp salt and ¼ tsp white pepper, cover and simmer gently for 15 minutes, until the eel is opaque at the bone.
15 minStep 3: Add 2 ⅛ oz sorrel, 3 ½ oz spinach and 2 ⅛ oz chervil, parsley, tarragon, mint and sage and simmer 3 minutes, until wilted. Common mistake: cooking them longer; the sauce turns khaki.
3 minStep 4: Take off the heat. Whisk 2 egg yolks with a ladle of the sauce and stir back in, then add 1 tbsp lemon juice. Warm gently for 1 minute without boiling, until it thickens slightly.
1 minStep 5: Serve hot with fries or bread, or cool and serve cold.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 520 kcal
- Protein
- 28 g
- Carbs
- 6 g
- Fat
- 42 g
- Fibre
- 2 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does paling in 't groen take?
- About 60 minutes in total: 30 minutes to prepare and 30 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 4 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- What can I use instead of butter?
- The same weight of ghee or coconut oil (for frying and most baking).
- What can I use instead of shallots?
- Half an onion per 2 shallots.
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