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Angulas are one of Spain's most extraordinary and expensive delicacies - tiny baby eels (elvers) just weeks old, nearly transparent with two black dots for eyes, harvested from the estuaries of the Basque Country as they return from the Sargasso Sea after a 6,000 km ocean journey. Cooked in the same style as gambas al ajillo - sizzling in a clay pot with garlic and a single dried hot pepper - they are eaten immediately with a wooden fork to avoid any metallic taste from metal cutlery. Their flavor is subtle, oceanic, and distinctly fatty - more about texture and occasion than any bold taste. Due to their extreme cost and endangered status, surimi-based imitations called gulas are now far more common, but true angulas remain the ultimate Basque luxury.
Prep
5 min
Cook
5 min
Total
10 min
Servings
4 srv
Difficulty
Easy
Calories
245 kcal
For 4 serving(s)
Per serving
Drain and rinse the angulas if pre-prepared; if fresh, blanch briefly in boiling salted water and drain.
Slice the garlic thinly; break the dried hot pepper into 2-3 pieces, shaking out most of the seeds.
Heat olive oil in a small earthenware cazuela over the highest possible heat.
When the oil is shimmering hot, add the garlic and pepper - they should sizzle immediately and color within 30 seconds.
Add the angulas all at once; stir once with a wooden spoon and cook for no more than 30-45 seconds - they need only to heat through.
Season with a pinch of salt and remove from heat immediately.
Serve in the cazuela still sizzling, with wooden forks - never metal - and crusty bread.
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