Comacchio eel risotto expresses the Po Delta, where fresh and salt water meet and rice and eel have shaped the local table for centuries.
The story behind the recipe
Eel has rich, dense flesh that needs precise cooking and freshness around it. Risotto provides a natural balance, absorbing fish stock while retaining structure.
Ingredients for 4 people
- 300 g Carnaroli rice
- 400 g cleaned fresh eel
- Onion, carrot, celery and 1 garlic clove
- 1 glass dry white wine and 1 litre fish stock
- Extra-virgin olive oil, 50 g butter, parsley, salt and pepper
Preparation
- Brown the eel pieces with olive oil and garlic for 5–7 minutes. Cool, remove the flesh from the bones and reserve.
- Prepare a 30-minute fish stock with bones, heads and vegetables; strain and keep hot.
- Sweat chopped onion in oil and half the butter. Toast the rice for two minutes and deglaze with white wine.
- Add stock a ladle at a time. Halfway through, add the eel. Finish al dente, beat in the remaining butter and rest for two minutes before serving with parsley.
Taste it in Ravenna
The recipe belongs to the research of Andrea Rondinelli and Osteria dalla Zabariona. Seasonal availability can change: check today’s specials or the restaurant menu.
