EEL

This snake-like fish is unlike any other. A fully grown eel has a black back, silvery sides and a white belly without belly fins. One long fin stretches all the way down the back to the anal opening. The scales are hidden inside the skin.

Fish facts

A combination of several factors has led to the eel population being on the verge of collapse. The species is close to extinction. and for the time being – if you want this species to have a future on this planet – you should not eat eel. At all.

THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS FARMED EEL. Eels have a long and complicated breeding pattern (that is the root of the problem) that cannot be reproduced within the limits of a fish farm. What is wrongly referred to as "farmed" or "cultivated" eel are specimens that have been caught in the wild and fattened in captivity – before they have had a chance to reproduce and spawn future generations.

How to cook eel

Eel are fatty and the flesh is “meaty” and firm, which is what makes it a major food experience. The internal temperature needs to be much higher than other fish, up to 70°C.

Eel can be eaten boiled, fried and smoked. This fish, rich in fat and strong flavors, is often smoked.

Egg and sour ingredients are the perfect partner for the fatty, and sometimes smoked, flavor of eel.

The classic

Flat smoked eel with egg mayonnaise on rye bread.

Conservation status:

Red and threatened with extinction. If you love eel, don’t eat any in the next few years.