Jellied Eels are a traditional dish from the East End of London. As the name suggests jellied eels are stewed eels in a spiced jelly that is made from the stewing juices. It's a food that is sold by street vendors, although they can more usually be found in 'pie and mash' shops, and can still be bought in London and Essex due to the migration of the East London population. It is commonly eaten with another East End delicacy, 'pie, mash and liquor' - which used to be made from eel fat. Beef or lard is more common nowadays.

This dish, either delicious or disgusting, depending on your point of view, finds its roots in the muddy Thames estuary which is a good habitat for eels. They were easy to catch locally, and it was easy to keep them alive in barrels for long enough to bring them to market, so the supply was easier than that of other kinds of fish. They were common, cheap and easily transportable, making them a favourite in the East End. They have remained 'unpopular' compared with oysters which were once a cheap and common sight in the East End.

It is common knowledge that being born within the sound of Bow Bells, the bells of the church of St Mary-le-Bow, is what determines you as a cockney. Some 'purists' would also suggest that being born within the sound of a toothless gentlemen wearing a flat-cap and slurping a bowl of jellied eels, would make your status a certainty.

Making jellied eels isn't an exact art and the difficulty in finding a definitive recipe suggests that there isn't one. However, should the urge come to make the dish, say perhaps for an East End cultural fair or some such event, then outlined below is a recipe:-

• 900g eels (2lb)
• Pinch of grated nutmeg
• ½ lemon, zest and juice
• 600 ml fish stock (1 pint)
• 1 small onion, finely chopped
• 1 small carrot, finely chopped
• 1 small celery, finely chopped
• 1 bouquet garni
• 15 g powdered gelatine (1/2oz)

Method

1. 
   Cut the eel into pieces about 2-3cms long (about the size of your thumb) and season with grated lemon zest and nutmeg.

2. Put the stock, vegetables and bouquet garni into a saucepan and bring to the boil. Add the eels and simmer very gently until tender, for about 30 minutes.

3. Lift out the eels and place the eels in a basin. Measure 450 ml of the stock.
   

4. 
   Add the gelatine to the lemon juice to dissolve the gelatine, then add this to the hot stock. Stir until completely dissolved. Strain this over the eels and leave to set.

5. Turn out when cold and serve with mash and liquor (though some prefer gherkins or perhaps a green salad)
   

Whether they are served hot or cold, with or without Chilli Vinegar, in or outside the East End, it is important that they remain on our streets and in our hearts less we forget where we come from.

Please note that jellied eels contain bones and any attempt to slurp them might be accompanied by a nasty choking fit and a trip to the Royal London Hospital Whitechapel (or other local hospital).

My parents were born & bought up in the Eastend & evacuated to the country when the war started.

I remember only too well being taken to Pie & Mash shops & jellied eel stalls on trips back to the east end to visit relatives in the 1960s.

I still enjoy a good bowl of jellied eels when I can get them, in my opinion the best I had were from Tubby Isaacs stall at the end of Brick Lane in Aldgate east, I don't know if it is still there.

I also remember that you had to make sure the vendor did not try & give you too many tail ends as these had little meat on them.

Jellied eels are still served at traditional East End weddings.