Why shouldn't you slit the eel open along the belly before frying?

Because the pieces would open up during frying. After skinning, the eel is cut into suitable pieces and the innards are removed from each individual piece; that way they turn out round, whole, and more attractive once fried.

How is the eel breaded and fried?

The pieces are salted and left for ½ hour, patted dry, dredged in flour, then in beaten egg, and finally in rusk crumbs. The eel is first fried for 5 minutes in the deep-fat pan, then finished in a frying pan in lightly browned butter.

What do you need, and how is the dish plated?

1 kg eel, flour, salt, egg, rusk crumbs, and parsley for 4 servings. The fish is arranged on a napkin-lined platter and garnished with lemon slices and fried and fresh parsley; served with remoulade sauce. The recipe is from Henriette Schønberg Erken's 'Stor kokebok' (1914), p. 110.

Fried Eel with Remoulade Sauce

Name: Fried Eel with Remoulade Sauce
Prep time: 40 min
Cook time: 35 min
Total time: 1 h 15 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Norwegian
Ingredients: 1 kg eel (skinned); 2 tsp salt; 1 dl wheat flour (for dredging); 2 pcs eggs (beaten); 2 dl breadcrumbs (crushed rusk); 1 l neutral oil (for deep-frying (originally lard)); 50 g butter (for finishing); 1 bunch parsley (for garnish, partly fried); 1 pcs lemon (sliced)

Erken's fried eel from 1914: the eel is skinned, cut into pieces without slitting the belly, salted, breaded in flour, egg, and rusk crumbs, deep-fried for 5 minutes, and finished in browned butter. Served with lemon, fried parsley, and remoulade sauce.

Source: Henriette Schønberg Erken, Stor kokebok, 1914-utg. s. 110 (falt i det fri)

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About the dish

From the fish chapter of 'Stor kokebok' (1914). Erken stresses that the eel should not be slit open along the belly before frying, so the pieces keep their shape. At the time, eel was still caught and sold live along the coast and in the lakes.

How to make it

1
Skin and cut the eel
Skin the eel. Do not slit it open along the belly; instead, cut it into suitable pieces after skinning, and remove the innards from each individual piece. That way the pieces stay round and whole during frying.
2
Salt
Wash the fish pieces in several changes of cold water and sprinkle them with salt. Let them stand for 30 minutes.
3
Bread
Dry the pieces well, then dredge them in flour, then in beaten egg, and finally in breadcrumbs.
4
Deep-fry
Fry the eel pieces for 5 minutes in oil at 175 °C (345 °F).
5
Finish in the pan
Then finish frying them in a pan in lightly browned butter until cooked through.
6
Plating
Place the fish on a napkin-lined platter, garnish with lemon slices, fried parsley, and fresh parsley. Serve with browned butter and lemon juice, remoulade sauce, sauce vinaigrette, or sauce à la tartare.

Changes from the original

Quantities are estimated and given in modern measures (dl, g). The pan of lard has been replaced with frying oil, and rusk with dry breadcrumbs. Frying times have been specified.

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Frequently asked questions

Why shouldn't you slit the eel open along the belly before frying?: Because the pieces would open up during frying. After skinning, the eel is cut into suitable pieces and the innards are removed from each individual piece; that way they turn out round, whole, and more attractive once fried.
How is the eel breaded and fried?: The pieces are salted and left for ½ hour, patted dry, dredged in flour, then in beaten egg, and finally in rusk crumbs. The eel is first fried for 5 minutes in the deep-fat pan, then finished in a frying pan in lightly browned butter.
What do you need, and how is the dish plated?: 1 kg eel, flour, salt, egg, rusk crumbs, and parsley for 4 servings. The fish is arranged on a napkin-lined platter and garnished with lemon slices and fried and fresh parsley; served with remoulade sauce. The recipe is from Henriette Schønberg Erken's 'Stor kokebok' (1914), p. 110.

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