Hamburger Aalsuppe - Hamburg Eel Soup

SERVINGS 6

2 lbs eel, cut into 2 inch pieces

2 cups water

1⁄3 cup white wine (Chardonnay or Pinot Grigio are very nice, but whatever white wine you have is fine)

2 tablespoons vinegar

2 tablespoons parsley

1 onion, peeled and sliced

2 carrots, peeled and diced

1 bay leaf

6 peppercorns

2 tablespoons butter

1 1⁄2 tablespoons flour

8 cups beef stock

1 bunch pot herbs

1 teaspoon mint, minced

1⁄2 cup celery, diced

1⁄2cauliflower, broken into small florets

1 cup peas

6 pears, peeled and seeded

1 cup sugar

1⁄2 cup water

Dumplings

1 cup milk

1 tablespoon butter

2 eggs

1 egg yolk, only

2 tablespoons flour

DIRECTIONS

Have eels cleaned, skinned and cut into 2 inch pieces.

Combine 2 cups water, wine, vinegar, 2 sprigs parsley, onion, one carrot, bay leaf, peppercorns and salt; bring to a boil and cook for five minutes.

Add eel and cook slowly until fish is tender.

Melt 2 tablespoons butter in a large kettle; add the 1 1/2 tablelspoons flour and cook until blended.

Add beef stock, pot herbs, mint and celery; cook slowly for one hour.

Cook cauliflower and peas in boiling salted water until crisp-tender.

Make a syrup of 1/2 cup water and sugar; cook pears until tender.

About 1/2 hour before serving make dumplings: heat milk and butter, beat eggs and yolk and add flour combined wit hot milk.

Drop from spoon and cook in boiling salted water about 20 minutes.

To serve, first remove eel from liquid in which it was cooked.

Strain liquid and add half of it to meat broth.

Drain the cooked vegetables and add to meat broth.

Place eel, pears and dumplings in a large tureen and pour soup over all.

#aalsuppe #germany