SC - turnips

[Michael P Newton]

On 22 Oct 1997 22:53:44 U "Mark Harris" <mark_harris at risc.sps.mot.com>
writes:
>Par Leijonhufvud said:
>> like gravlax, smoked eel, smooked salmon, etc. 
>
>Ah, ha! So eel *is* still available in some places. That's another
>item that I've wanted to try since I started studying medieval foods
>and reading this list.
>
>Since it's been five or six months since it was last asked, anyone
>have any sources for eel? It's not common these days but apparently
>was commonly raised in medieval fish and mill ponds much as we raise
>catfish today. Anybody know what else was raised in medieval ponds?
>Did they raise any fish such as catfish? Catfish may be North 
>American.
>
>Stefan li Rous
>  (Who is not going to run out of questions at this rate. :-) )
>
I've been itching to make an eel soup ever since I found a recipe in My
copy of _Splendid Soups_ by James Peterson. Not only does he give the
recipe, but he also tells how to skin it. (For those of you who disliked
desiccating in Biology, you may want to skip this part.)

"To clean an eel, grab it at the base of the neck with a towel and whack
its head on the kitchen counter (you need the towel; eels are slippery
and may get loose and end up hiding under the stove) This first step, 
presumably to kill it or at least stun the eel into docility, makes no
visible change in its behavior; an eel with its head bashed in will still
wrap firmly around your arm as you grip its neck.
Next, make a slit around the base of its neck and first pull the skin
away with a pair of pliers' then peel it off like a glove, using a towel.
Gut the eel starting at the base of the head by slitting into the cavity
under cold running water. Be forewarned: none of this does anything to
slow down the eel. And last, cutting the skinless eel into inch-long
segments still does nothing to abate its electrical energy -- each of the
pieces continues to twitch, including the head, with the mouth
continuously opening and closing. Still interested?"

I am! Anyone want to help?
Lady Beatrix
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