Eels Category

These haven't caught on much in the U.S., but they're highly prized in Europe and Japan for their rich, firm meat and terrific flavor. Freshness is crucial, so always buy live eels. Smaller eels are more tender. This category includes conger eel = conger = anago, which are tough saltwater eels that are sometimes available in fish markets in the spring and summer, elvers = angulas = baby eels, which are about an inch long and very expensive, and freshwater eel = unagi.

Elvers are juvenile eels. They are thin and about 2" long. Elvers are a delicacy especially in Spain and Asia. They are caught as they return to freshwater streams after being born in the mid-Atlantic.

In the United States, you're more likely to find these in an aquarium that in a supermarket, but Southeast Asians consider them a delicacy.