Clean the eels, cut into two-inch pieces, and parboil for eight minutes. Sprinkle with salt and pepper, dip into corn-meal, and sauté in salt pork fat.
EELS FRIED IN BATTER
Cut a large cleaned eel into joints, and soak for several hours in cold water, to which salt, pepper, and vinegar have been added. Drain dip in batter, and fry in hot fat. Drain on brown paper and serve with Tomato Sauce.
EELS À LA LYONNAISE
Clean two large eels, cut into four-inch lengths and remove the bones. Cook in equal parts of white wine and water to cover, adding salt, pepper, a sliced onion, a clove of garlic, and a bunch of parsley. Drain the fish and strain the liquid. Thicken with two tablespoonfuls of flour rubbed smooth with two tablespoonfuls of butter. Boil for fifteen minutes and skim. Add two tablespoonfuls of butter and the juice of a lemon. Bring to the boil, pour over the fish, and serve with a garnish of small onions fried in butter and sugar.
EELS À LA VILLEROY
Clean two large eels and cut into lengths. Cover with salted and acidulated water, add a bunch of parsley, a sliced onion, and a pinch of powdered sweet herbs. Boil slowly for ten minutes, cool, and drain. Melt one tablespoonful of butter and cook in it two tablespoonfuls of flour. Add two cupfuls of white stock and cook until thick, stirring constantly. Take from the fire and season to taste. Add the yolks of four eggs well beaten and cool. Dip the pieces of eel in this sauce, and set on ice. Roll in cracker crumbs, dip in beaten egg, then in bread-crumbs, and fry brown in deep fat.
EELS À LA TARTAR
Cut up the eel and cook in court bouillon with wine. Drain, dip in egg and crumbs, and fry in deep fat. Serve with a stiff Mayonnaise mixed with chopped parsley, olives, pickles, and capers.