Eel with gherkins and turned potatoes. This delicious recipe is from the Spreewald, about 100km south-east of Berlin. A traditional speciality from Berlin-Brandenburg.

Ingredients

• 800g fresh eel, cleaned and prepared (this should be taken care of by your fishmonger)
• 1 glass of fish stock
• 1 carton of cream
• 1 carton of crème fraiche
• 3-4 finely chopped shallots
• fresh dill
• some fresh chives
• 1 lemon
• 2-3 gherkins
• 50g of butter
• some flour
• 600-800g evenly-sized potatoes

Preparation

1. Peel the gherkins and cut into half, length ways.
2. Using a spoon, remove the seeds/centre of the gherkin.
3. Cut into pieces, approximately 2cm large.
4. Fry the chopped shallots in some butter and add the gherkins, salt and pepper.
5. Fry for 3-4 minutes until al dente.
6. Add the cream and chives and taste.
7. Cut the potatoes into slim, equal-sized pieces but cutting the potatoes in half and then, at an angle, cut into a half-moon shape (looks beautiful and atypical).
8. Serve as turned butter potatoes.
9. Cut the eel into pieces, each weighing approximately 50g.
10. Rub the eel with salt in order to remove any slime that may not have been removed earlier.
11. Fry whats left of the chopped shallots in some butter and add approximately 2 tbsp. of flour.
12. Add the fish stock and stir.
13. Bring to the boil and add salt, pepper and lemon juice.
14. Add the eel pieces and allow to simmer for 8-10 minutes with the lid on.
15. Remove the cooked eel and keep warm
16. Reduce the sauce by placing it on high heat.
17. Add chopped dill and butter and mix.
18. Pour the reduced dill and butter sauce over the eel pieces.

Serving suggestion

Serve with the turned potatoes and the gherkin vegetable sauce.