Eel Soup

Aalsuppe

What started as an odd chowder of whatever was left in the kitchen (called Aolsuppe – all soup, containing no eel at all) is now a specialty in the Hanseatic city of Hamburg.

Eel

  • 2 pounds eel, skinned and rinsed well, or 1 ¼ pounds mackerel fillets
  • 1 medium-size yellow onion, peeled and thinly sliced
  • 4 cups ham broth or water
  • 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
  • 2 large whole bay leaves
  • 6 large flat-leaf parsley sprigs
  • ½ teaspoon dried leaf marjoram, crumbled
  • ½ teaspoon dried leaf thyme, crumbled
  • ¼ teaspoon salt

Vegetables

  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter or margarine
  • 1 cup moderately finely diced peeled celery root
  • 1 medium-size leek, trimmed, washed well, and finely diced
  • 1 medium-size kohlrabi, peeled and moderately finely diced (optional)
  • 1 medium-size carrot, peeled and moderately finely diced
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • 2 cups ham broth or rich beef broth
  • 1 cup shelled green peas, either fresh or frozen, thawed
  • 3 medium-size asparagus stalks, trimmed of tough stem ends and cut into 1-inch lengths, or ½ (10 ounce) package frozen asparagus (do not thaw)

Fruit

  • 2 ounces pitted prunes
  • 2 ounces dried apricots
  • 1 cup hot water
  • 1 cup dry red wine (preferably German)
  • 2 tablespoons sugar
  • 1 cinnamon stick
  • 1 medium-size ripe Bosc pear, peeled, cored, and cut into ½ -inch dice
  • 1 medium-size McIntosh apple, peeled, cored and cut into ½ -inch dice

Dumplings

  • 1 cup water
  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter or margarine
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup sifted all-purpose flour
  • 1 extra-large egg, lightly beaten
  • 4 quarts water

For the eel

Cut the eel crosswise into 1-inch chunks and place in a large heavy saucepan. Add the onion, ham broth, vinegar, bay leaves, parsley, marjoram, thyme, and salt. Cover and simmer slowly over moderately low heat for 15 minutes, just until the eel flakes. Dump the saucepan mixture into a large fine sieve set over a large heatproof bowl. Transfer the eel to a large plate, then discard the solids left behind in the sieve, reserve the cooking liquid.

For the vegetables

Wipe the saucepan in which you cooked the eel, add the butter, and melt over moderately low heat. Add the celery root, leek, optional kohlrabi, and carrot and sauté 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the salt and ham broth and simmer, uncovered, for 10 minutes. Add the peas and asparagus and simmer, uncovered, for 5 minutes. Add the eel cooking liquid and the eel, remove from heat and keep warm.

For the fruit

Soak the prunes and apricots in the hot water in a medium-size bowl for 15 minutes. Drain the fruit, reserving the soaking liquid. Coarsely chop the fruit and place in a medium-size heavy saucepan. Add the soaking liquid, wine, sugar, cinnamon stick, pear and apple and bring to a boil over moderate heat. Adjust the heat so the mixture bubbles gently, cover and simmer 5 to 8 minutes, just until the fruit is tender. Discard the cinnamon stick, then add the fruit mixture to the eel mixture and keep warm.

For the dumplings

Bring the water, butter and salt to a boil in a medium-size heavy saucepan over moderate heat, stirring constantly. Reduce the heat to low, blend in the flour and stir briskly until the mixture rolls into a ball and holds together. Off heat, beat the egg and continue beating until smooth. With dampened hands, shape into balls about 1 inch in diameter. Bring the water to a boil in a medium-size heavy saucepan over moderate heat, adjust the heat so the water barely simmers, then drop in the dumplings. Cover and simmer 5 to 8 minutes, stirring at halftime. With a slotted spoon, lift the dumplings to a plate lined with paper toweling to drain, then add to the eel mixture.

To finish the soup

Simmer the eel mixture, covered for 5 minutes. Taste for salt and sugar and adjust as needed (the mixture should be only slightly sweet), then ladle into soup plates and serve.

Source: Jean Anderson/ Hedy Würz: The New German Cookbook