Eel in Rich Sauce
The dishes created by Chef Aitor López of El Citrus del Tancat restaurant embody a traditional rural cuisine that draws upon the ingredients provided by the surrounding environment and makes them the foundation of everyday nourishment. The market garden produce, together with the products of the sea and the Ebro Delta, define the chef’s cooking; peppers, aubergines and cabbage, alongside sardina de casco and eel in its various forms, such as xapadillo, form the basis of his reinterpretation of these traditional dishes. This reinterpretation remains faithful to the original logic of consumption while placing particular emphasis on recognising and showcasing local ingredients in their most authentic expression.
VIDEO RECIPE
method
The dish is based on a time-honoured local preparation: a rich sauce made from eel. A large quantity of eel is placed in a pot together with deeply roasted vegetables traditionally used in suquet dishes, including roasted tomatoes, a little garlic and onion. Everything is thoroughly roasted before being cooked together. This process yields a collagen-rich stock, which is then blended with a traditional Catalan picada, forming the foundation of the dish.
Building on this base, the dish is complemented by a number of additional preparations. The first is eel prepared as xapadillo, a product deeply rooted in the local culinary tradition and made from eel sourced in the Terres de l’Ebre. It is cooked directly over charcoal, giving it an exceptionally crisp texture. The dish is also garnished with a little tomato, which is first peeled and then quickly sautéed over a high heat in a small amount of olive oil.
To complete the dish, smoked eel is added, helping to round out and deepen the overall flavour profile.
Finally, as is customary in traditional suquet dishes, the plate is finished with a little more locally sourced eel, simply fried and added as a final touch.
