History

The Scheldt and Antwerp's polders once supplied eel in volume. The sharp herb sauce, built on sorrel and chervil, balances the rich fish. Once an everyday catch, eel is now a delicacy due to dwindling stocks. Bistro kitchens still serve it in season; the dish appears on tasting menus across Belgian fine dining.

Common allergens: Fish, Dairy

Make it at home

Yield Serves 4Hands-on 35 minTotal 50 minDifficulty Intermediate

Ingredients

  • 800g freshwater eel, cleaned and cut into 6cm pieces
  • 50g sorrel leaves
  • 50g flat-leaf parsley
  • 30g chervil
  • 30g tarragon
  • 20g spinach (for colour)
  • 200ml white wine
  • 200ml fish stock
  • 100ml double cream
  • 50g butter
  • 2 shallots, finely chopped
  • Salt, white pepper

Method

  1. Soften the shallots in butter in a wide pan over low heat for 5 minutes.
  2. Add the wine and reduce by half, about 4 minutes.
  3. Add the stock and bring to a simmer.
  4. Place the eel pieces in the simmering liquid and poach gently for 8 to 10 minutes until cooked through.
  5. Remove the eel and keep warm. Reduce the cooking liquid by half.
  6. Blend the herbs and spinach with the reduced liquid in a blender until bright green.
  7. Return to the pan, whisk in the cream and remaining butter. Do not boil.
  8. Pour the sauce over the eel and serve immediately with buttered new potatoes.

Tip from the editors. If fresh eel is hard to find, the dish works with monkfish or pollock fillets; reduce poaching to 5 minutes.

This is the TableJourney editorial recipe, modelled on the canonical bistro / counter version. The first place to try the dish in its city of origin is below.

Where to eat paling in 't groen

Paling in 't groen in Antwerp

Bistrot du Nord 1 ★ ★ 4.4

Classical French-BelgianChef Michaël Rewers€€€€90 to €120eilandjeBook 2 weeks ahead

Bistrot du Nord in Antwerp keeps one Michelin star for hearty classical bistro cooking. Michaël Rewers leans on meat and tripe in a tiled vintage room.

Signature: Beef cheek, Tripe, Classical meat preparations

Order: Anything off the meat menu; tripe and braised cheek are the chef's signatures.

Tip: Closed Saturday and Sunday. Lunch is the better-value entry, around 50 euro for three courses.

Lange Dijkstraat 36, 2060 Antwerp Book →

RAS ★ 4.2

Belgian seafood, riverfront€€€historisch-centrum

RAS in Antwerp sits on the riverfront on Ernest Van Dijckkaai with a Scheldt terrace listed in the Michelin Guide. The kitchen leans heavily on North Sea fish.

Signature: North Sea fish, Mussels in season, Belgian seafood plates

Order: Whatever is in season from the North Sea; the chalkboard rotates with the day's catch.

Tip: The Scheldt-facing terrace fills first in summer. Reserve the inside river view for sunset dinners.

Ernest Van Dijckkaai 37, 2000 Antwerp Book →

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