The eel is an incredible fish, not just for its delicate, delicious flavor, but also for its extraordinary tenacity. It braves an incredible journey to reach the Sargasso Sea, where, after a long voyage, it lays its eggs and then dies—truly an ironman of the ocean.
Today, we’re celebrating this marvel of nature with a special dish: eel terrine. It’s a deceptively simple dish that demands a true understanding of its raw material—a tricky ingredient to master.
First, the eel must be meticulously cleaned, followed by marination for 12 hours. After this comes the slow cooking process, lasting another 2 hours. It’s a labor-intensive recipe, but the result is exceptional!
For this recipe, we turned to an eel specialist: Adalberto Migliari from Chiocciola di Portomaggiore, in the province of Ferrara, where eel is part of the culinary tradition.
Ingredients for Eel Terrine with Taggiasca Olive Pesto and Capers
Serves 12-14 people
- 2.5-3 kg of large eel
- Lemon
- 2 shallots
- Extra virgin olive oil
- Salt and pepper
- Bay leaves
- 200 g Taggiasca olives
- 80 g salted capers
How to Make the Perfect Eel Terrine with Taggiasca Olive and Caper Pesto
- Coarsely chop the capers together with the pitted olives, adding a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil.
- Gut the eels, remove the fillets along with the skin, and leave them in ice water for about an hour.
- Marinate the eel fillets for 12 hours with olive oil, chopped shallots, garlic, peppercorns, salt, and a few bay leaves.
- After marination, remove the shallots, pepper, and bay leaves. Spread the eel fillets in a terrine mold until it’s full.
- Seal the mold in a vacuum bag and cook it at 80°C for around 2 hours using steam.
- Once cooked, open the vacuum bag and allow the eel terrine to cool while pressing it with weights to compact the fillets.
- When completely cooled, cut into thin slices and serve with a touch of olive and caper pesto.
Wine Pairing: A Perfect Match for Eel Terrine
We chose a wine with body and charm like the Lambrusco Rosé di Modena Spumante, Metodo Classico by Cristian Bellei, a rosé of exceptional grace with a sidereal taste and vivid scents of currant, moss and wild strawberries. The ideal wine to go with and simultaneously reduce the eel’s fattiness is We concentrate on a little jewel of Ferrara viticulture and uncork the Fortana if you like to create a geographical match.
If you’re in the mood for a regional pairing, Fortana is a delightful choice—a hidden gem of Ferrara viticulture.
Cocktail Pairing: A Graceful Cosmopolitan
Alternatively, a sharp Cosmopolitan makes for an elegant companion to this gourmet eel terrine.
