Jellied eels are a traditional British dish made from freshwater silver eels, popular in the East End of London since the 18th century. The dish suffered a setback during the Industrial Revolution due to pollution, but has regained popularity as a nutritious and healthy fish. It is also eaten in other countries under different names.
Jellied eels are a well-known fish dish made from freshwater silver eels. It has been a part of British cuisine, especially the English cuisine of the East End area of London, since the 18th century. Eels, which were found in abundance in the River Thames, were cheap and nutritious, and eel dishes were very popular with the poor and working class population of the East End. Many hawkers and sweet and mash shops made a brisk business selling jellied eels and other eel dishes.
By an Act of Parliament, in recognition of the aid and food provided by Dutch fishermen during the Great Fire of London, the Dutch have long had a monopoly on the eel fishery. Eels were kept in barrels filled with water in the fish market to be sold fresh to customers. The appeal of jellied eels suffered a setback with the advent of the Industrial Revolution, when industrial waste from factories polluted the river and made it difficult for eels to survive in the waters. Unscrupulous pie-men often bought cheap dead fish from fishermen and used these fish to make jellied eels and eel pies, masking the bad taste with an abundance of spices and this led to many cases of food poisoning. These days, environmental regulations have once again made the river safe for both eels and consumers.
To make jellied eels, the eels are first gutted and cleaned, then boiled and simmered until tender in a pan of water, vinegar, spices, and lemon juice. The cooked eels are removed and cut into round pieces, while the broth is strained, mixed with egg whites and reheated. The eel pieces are returned to the broth and then refrigerated. Eels release collagen as they cook and form a soft jelly as they cool. Jellied eels can be eaten both cold and hot and are usually flavored with chili vinegar.
This British cuisine is gaining popularity once again as a nutritious and healthy fish. There are many unique recipes for making jellied eels, and this type of eel dishes are eaten in other countries as well. The dish is known as anguilla in Italy, aspic d’anguille in France, and aal a aspik in Germany. The Spanish have a dish called angula, made from eels, while the Japanese have steamed and grilled unagi.
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