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Valencian Eel Stew with Garlic and Paprika

All i Pebre

In the fishing villages of the Albufera lagoon near Valencia, eels are stewed with potatoes in a red broth of garlic, sweet paprika and chile. The name just means “garlic and pepper.”

  • Prep 25 min
  • Cook 40 min
  • Serves 4
  • Level Medium
Photo: Espencat · Public domain
Served with: Catalan Tomato Bread ↓En Español

Ingredients

Tap each item as you gather it.

For the stew

Method

Step by step, the way it is done on the island.

  1. Make the picada. Fry the garlic, bread and almonds in the olive oil over medium heat until golden, 3–4 minutes. Lift out and pound in a mortar to a paste with a splash of water.
  2. Toast the pimentón. Take the oil off the heat, add the guindillas and stir in the pimentón for 10 seconds, no more, so it doesn’t burn. Immediately pour in the water.
  3. Cook the potatoes. Add the potatoes, salt and pepper, bring to a boil and simmer 15 minutes, until they are half cooked and starting to thicken the broth.
  4. Add the eel. Stir in the picada and the eel pieces and simmer gently 12–15 minutes until the eel is tender and the sauce is thick and red.
  5. Serve. Rest 5 minutes and serve in shallow bowls with bread to wipe up the sauce.

On the side

The side dish that belongs with it, full recipe included.

Catalonia, Spain

Catalan Tomato Bread

Pa amb Tomàquet

Toasted country bread rubbed with garlic and ripe tomato, finished with olive oil and salt. In the fishing ports of the Costa Brava it comes with everything from the grill.

  • Prep 10 min
  • Cook 5 min
  • Serves 4
  • Level Easy

You need

  • 8 slices rustic country bread, about ¾ inch (2 cm) thick
  • 2 garlic cloves, halved
  • 3 very ripe tomatoes, halved
  • Extra-virgin olive oil
  • Flaky sea salt

How to make it

  1. Toast. Grill or toast the bread until crisp and golden on the outside but still soft in the middle.
  2. Rub with garlic. While it is hot, rub one side of each slice lightly with the cut garlic.
  3. Rub with tomato. Rub the cut tomato hard over the bread, squeezing so the pulp and juice soak in, until only the skin is left in your hand.
  4. Finish. Drizzle generously with olive oil, sprinkle with salt and serve right away.

Photo: Jennifer Woodard Maderazo · CC BY 2.0

More ways to cook Eel

Same fish, a different corner of the sea.

Aveiro, PortugalAveiro Eel Stew over Toasted Bread
Naples, ItalyNeapolitan Christmas Eve Fried Eel
Barranquitas, Puerto RicoPuerto Rican Stewed River Eel