What you are getting

Boneless eel fillet, rolled and frozen into even spiral portions about 3 cm thick. Each roll is a single turn of fillet with the skin on the outside, so it holds its shape on a skewer and slices into neat rounds once cooked.

Where it comes from

Raised in East Asian ponds and processed at a plant next to the farms, where the fillets are deboned by hand, rolled and blast-frozen in one pass. Rolling by hand rather than machine is why the portions are slightly irregular, and why they hold together.

Specifications

• Form: boneless rolled fillet, skin on
• Size: about 3 cm thick per roll
• Net weight: 2 kg per box
• Packing: vacuum sealed, rolls frozen separately

State and handling

Raw and frozen. Already deboned and shaped, so there is nothing to trim once it thaws.

Storage

Hold at -18 C or colder. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator, bagged. Use within 24 hours of thawing. Do not refreeze after a full thaw.

Shelf life and delivery

Best within 8 months of the production date on the box. Ships in insulated liners with dry ice and arrives hard frozen.

How to cook it

The rolled shape is the point: it keeps the fillet from curling away from the heat.

• Skewer and grill: thread two rolls per skewer, brush with a soy and mirin glaze, and turn over medium coals until glossy.
• Deep-fry: dust with starch or breadcrumbs and fry at 180 C for 3 to 4 minutes until crisp.
• Pan-sear: cut into rounds and sear the cut faces in a hot dry pan until browned.
• Hot pot: drop into simmering broth and poach for 5 to 6 minutes until the centre is opaque.

Allergen & compliance

Contains fish. Packed in a facility that also handles crustaceans and molluscs. Raw product; cook thoroughly before serving.