Eel with Garlic and Peppers

This was a flavorful dish, but the amount of work it takes to clean the eel is not for everyone. If you don't think you want to remove its guts and bones I suggest looking for a store that sells it cleaned and ready to cook. My husband and I agreed that while the meal was great we weren't sure it is a dish that can be cooked on a weeknight unless you don't work. In his words: "If you are going to spend an hour cooking something for me, this is probably not the dish I would choose." Oh well.

I found this recipe in my Spanish Home Cooking book.

Here is what you need to prepare this:

2-3 dried chilies (such as Spanish Noras or New Mexico style)*

1 lb of eel (1 large or two small)**

2 tablespoons of olive oil

6 garlic cloves, chopped

1 medium red bell pepper, chopped

salt and ground pepper, to taste

1/2 cup of dry white wine

1. Soak dried chilies in hot water for 45 minutes or until you can scrape the fish out with a spoon. Drain, remove seeds and scrape flesh into a container. Set aside.

2. Meanwhile, cut off the eel's head. Then, with a fillet knife cut into the underbelly of the eel (be ready for a bit of blood to ooze out). Take a paring knife (or fillet knife) and remove the intestine and stomach out. Cut around the bone and remove. Cut eel into 2-3 inch-wide pieces. Rinse and set aside.***

3. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat until hot. Add garlic, bell pepper and flesh from dried chilies. Saute until softened.

4. Add eel, saute for about two minutes until opaque. Season with salt and pepper. Add wine. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for a few minutes. Serve immediately.

* I used New Mexico peppers, which cost $1.99 for a bag at Cub

** I used two eel. I also soaked it in some water for a 1/2 hour to ensure it was clean before I gutted it.

*** If you get a live eel you'll need to kill it. This can be done by placing it into a box and sprinkling salt on it. Wash it well by soaking for about a half hour after it is dead.