Mussels Stew with Eel

Ingredients

• 600 g eel (pre‑cooked)
• Salt
• 2 tbsp Red wine vinegar
• 500 g waxy potatoes
• 500 g pork shoulder meat
• 1 onion
• 2 Garlic cloves
• 6 tbsp Olive oil
• 2 tbsp butter
• black pepper (ground)
• 250 ml fish stock (from a can)
• 250 g ripe tomatoes
• 600 g Venus mussels
• 250 ml red wine
• 50 g black olives
• 1 tbsp finely chopped fresh coriander

Instructions

1. 1.

   Rinse eel pieces briefly, pat dry with paper towels. Salt and drizzle with about 2 tbsp red wine vinegar.

2. 2.

   Wash, peel, and cut potatoes into ~2 cm cubes. Cut pork shoulder into similarly sized cubes.

3. 3.

   Peel and halve the onion, then slice. Peel garlic and finely mince.

4. 4.

   Heat 4 tbsp oil in a braising pot, melt butter in it. Brown pork and potatoes in batches while stirring.

5. 5.

   Add onions and garlic, cook briefly with them. Mix thoroughly, salt and pepper heavily. Pour in fish stock, cover and simmer gently for about 30 minutes.

6. 6.

   Peel tomatoes and finely chop. Rinse mussels, discard any that remain closed after rinsing.

7. 7.

   After ~30 minutes, heat remaining 2 tbsp oil in a pan. Sear eel pieces all around until browned. Transfer to the pot, add red wine and tomatoes, stir. Cover and cook for about 10 minutes over medium heat.

8. 8.

   Finally add olives and mussels to the pot. Cover and continue cooking until mussels open (about 10 minutes). Discard any still closed.

9. 9.

   Season the sauce with salt, pepper, and remaining red wine vinegar. Sprinkle fresh coriander and serve the stew piping hot with fresh white bread and a glass of red wine.