Jellied eels are a traditional English dish that originated in the 18th century, primarily in the East End of London. The dish consists of chopped eels boiled in a spiced stock that is allowed to cool and set, forming a jelly. It is usually served cold.
Eels were historically a cheap, nutritious, and readily available food source for the people of London; European eels were once so common in the Thames that nets were set as far upriver as London itself, and eels became a staple for London's poor. The earliest known eel, pie and mash houses opened in London in the 18th century, and the oldest surviving shop, M Manze, has been open since 1902.[1] At the end of the Second World War, there were around 100 eel, pie and mash houses in London.[2] In 1995, there were 87.[3]
In the present day, there are relatively few eel, pie and mash shops still in existence, although jellied eels are sold in some of the capital's delicatessen shops and supermarkets. The water quality of the Thames, having improved greatly since the 1960s[citation needed], has since become suitable once again for recolonisation by eels.[4] The Environment Agency supports a Thames fishery, allowing nets as far upriver as Tower Bridge.[5]
Today, the European eel is critically endangered.[6]
Preparationedit
A bowl of eels set in jelly
Jellied eels are traditionally prepared using the European eels native to Britain. Typically, the eels are chopped (shucked) into rounds and boiled in water and vinegar to make a fish stock with nutmeg and lemon juice, before being allowed to cool. The eel is a naturally gelatinous fish, with the cooking process releasing proteins, like collagen, into the liquid, which solidify upon cooling to form a jelly, though gelatin may be added in order to aid this process.
Recipes for jellied eels are individual to particular London pie and mash shops, and also street sellers; however, traditional recipes for authentic Victorian jellied eels all have common ingredients and cooking methods, with variation only in the choice of herbs and spices used to flavour the dish.
^Donald Strachan (8 August 2012). Frommer's London 2013. John Wiley & Sons. p. 244. ISBN9781118333884.
^Copping, Jasper (18 June 2007). "Eels in danger of slipping off the menu". The Telegraph. Telegraph Media Group Ltd. Retrieved 11 December 2008.
^Richard Schweid (2010). Consider the Eel. Univ of North Carolina Press. p. 94. ISBN9780807826935.
^Naismith, I. A.; B. Knights (4 April 2005). "The distribution, density and growth of the European eel, Anguilla anguilla, in the freshwater catchment of the River Thames". Journal of Fish Biology. 42 (2): 217–226. doi:10.1111/j.1095-8649.1993.tb00323.x. Archived from the original on 5 January 2013. Retrieved 11 December 2008.
^. ThamesWEB. ThamesWEB.com. Archived from the original on 27 November 2006. Retrieved 11 December 2008.
^Pike, C.; Crook, V.; Gollock, M. (2020). "Anguilla anguilla". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2020: e.T60344A152845178. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2020-2.RLTS.T60344A152845178.en. Retrieved 19 November 2021.
jellied, eels, traditional, english, dish, that, originated, 18th, century, primarily, east, london, dish, consists, chopped, eels, boiled, spiced, stock, that, allowed, cool, forming, jelly, usually, served, cold, plate, jellied, eelsplace, originenglandmain,. Jellied eels are a traditional English dish that originated in the 18th century primarily in the East End of London The dish consists of chopped eels boiled in a spiced stock that is allowed to cool and set forming a jelly It is usually served cold Jellied eelsA plate of jellied eelsPlace of originEnglandMain ingredientsEel spiced stock Media Jellied eelsTraditional pie mash and eel shop Walworth South East London Contents 1 History 2 Preparation 3 Outside the UK 4 References 5 Further reading 6 External linksHistory edit nbsp Manze s pie and mash shop in PeckhamEels were historically a cheap nutritious and readily available food source for the people of London European eels were once so common in the Thames that nets were set as far upriver as London itself and eels became a staple for London s poor The earliest known eel pie and mash houses opened in London in the 18th century and the oldest surviving shop M Manze has been open since 1902 1 At the end of the Second World War there were around 100 eel pie and mash houses in London 2 In 1995 there were 87 3 In the present day there are relatively few eel pie and mash shops still in existence although jellied eels are sold in some of the capital s delicatessen shops and supermarkets The water quality of the Thames having improved greatly since the 1960s citation needed has since become suitable once again for recolonisation by eels 4 The Environment Agency supports a Thames fishery allowing nets as far upriver as Tower Bridge 5 Today the European eel is critically endangered 6 Preparation edit nbsp A bowl of eels set in jellyJellied eels are traditionally prepared using the European eels native to Britain Typically the eels are chopped shucked into rounds and boiled in water and vinegar to make a fish stock with nutmeg and lemon juice before being allowed to cool The eel is a naturally gelatinous fish with the cooking process releasing proteins like collagen into the liquid which solidify upon cooling to form a jelly though gelatin may be added in order to aid this process Recipes for jellied eels are individual to particular London pie and mash shops and also street sellers however traditional recipes for authentic Victorian jellied eels all have common ingredients and cooking methods with variation only in the choice of herbs and spices used to flavour the dish Jellied eels are often sold with pie and mash another traditional East End food and eaten with chilli vinegar or with malt vinegar and white pepper Outside the UK editThe dish is also consumed in other parts of Europe including Denmark Sweden France Germany Poland Belgium and the Netherlands citation needed References edit Donald Strachan 8 August 2012 Frommer s London 2013 John Wiley amp Sons p 244 ISBN 9781118333884 Copping Jasper 18 June 2007 Eels in danger of slipping off the menu The Telegraph Telegraph Media Group Ltd Retrieved 11 December 2008 Richard Schweid 2010 Consider the Eel Univ of North Carolina Press p 94 ISBN 9780807826935 Naismith I A B Knights 4 April 2005 The distribution density and growth of the European eel Anguilla anguilla in the freshwater catchment of the River Thames Journal of Fish Biology 42 2 217 226 doi 10 1111 j 1095 8649 1993 tb00323 x Archived from the original on 5 January 2013 Retrieved 11 December 2008 Commercial Fisheries in the Thames Estuary ThamesWEB ThamesWEB com Archived from the original on 27 November 2006 Retrieved 11 December 2008 Pike C Crook V Gollock M 2020 Anguilla anguilla IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2020 e T60344A152845178 doi 10 2305 IUCN UK 2020 2 RLTS T60344A152845178 en Retrieved 19 November 2021 Further reading edithttp www bbc co uk dna h2g2 A8573132 Background https www theguardian com netnotes article 0 6729 680948 00 html Jellied eels story at The Guardian 8 April 2002 Would you Adam and Eve it Jellied eels hit by over fishing London Evening Standard 3 January 2012 External links edit nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to Jellied eels Portal nbsp Food Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Jellied eels amp oldid 1215470202, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
