Programme two Rick Stein certainly won't be going hungry in this series. No sooner is the second programme underway than he can be seen tucking into a generous bowl of clams cooked with garlic and white wine. His idyllic journey continues as he travels along the Garonne River stopping off to discover the beauty of French markets and cook one of his favourite French meals - Petit Sale. He shows off his manliness by tucking into a simply prepared lunch of Steak tartare, a dish he claims 'separates the men from the boys'. How to enjoy eelsEels are a wonderfully rich and fatty fish and are considered a delicacy by many people. But for every eel-lover there’s an eel-hater who can’t seem to get beyond their snake-like appearance. If you’re in the latter camp, it’s worth plucking up the courage to try fresh or smoked eel. It’s very quick and easy to cook and lends itself to numerous cooking techniques
 Try flambéing it in brandy before lightly stewing in red wine with herbs and garlic for a classic Matelote (fish stew) or dust it in flour and gently fry with some fresh herbs and lemon juice. For a more English slant, bake in water and vinegar and leave to chill in the liquid for traditional jellied eels. It can also be grilled, roasted or poached and the bony tail end is good for making soups. The common eel starts and ends its life in the sea (unless caught!) but spends the in-between years in fresh water. By the time they reach the estuaries they are around seven centimetres long and are known as elvers. At this stage they are considered a delicacy, most commonly enjoyed rolled in flour, deep-fried and served with lemon. Some fishmongers sell live eels. However, as killing and skinning an eel is neither an easy nor particularly pleasant task, the more squeamish cook may well want to ask their fishmonger to prepare the eel for them. Rick Stein was lucky enough to cook with eels freshly caught from the Garonne river. He asked the fisherman, who has been catching eels since he was a boy, how he would cook them. Rick explains: “He said he would cook them gently in a bit of butter with parsley and garlic or else he would put slices on a skewer between slices of pork fat and barbecue them. “I think nothing could bring out the delicious quality of eel fat better than a simple sauté with garlic and parsley. Don’t cook them too hard, just fry gently for 2-3 minutes on each side.” Recipes from French Odyssey
This dish and other recipes cooked by Rick on the programme will be featured in a book to accompany the series. Rick Stein's French Odyssey is published by BBC Books. RRP £20. ISBN 0563522135. Try these eel recipes from BBC Food:
Details of Rick's journeyYou can trace Rick's journey through southern France on his website, which features an interactive map and directory of the places he visited.
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