Smoked eel with broad beans and spring onions (Anguilla affumicata con le fave)

This is one of the most popular dishes on Borgonzolo's current menu - one devised by himself. Even having cream and eel as two primary ingredients the dish does not cloy the palette. The broad beans and particularly the chillies "cut through" any potential oiliness of the eel he says.

Borgonzolo buys the eel from London fishmonger James Knight (071-499 4423) who imports it from New Zealand. "It is already smoked. I'd like to have a go at smoking foods - but have you seen the size of my kitchen " he laughs.

Ingredients

Smoked eel
Spring onions
Broad beans
Chopped dried red chillies
A sprig of tarragon
Whipping cream
Boiled water

Method

Chop eel into 1-2in pieces cutting at a slight angle across the length of the fish. Roughly chop spring onions.

Put a tiny knob of clarified butter and a drop of olive oil (too much and the dish will be spoiled) in a pan together with the onions and broad beans. Toss until tender. Add a dash of white wine the eels and a sprinkling of chopped chilli.

Simmer for a few minutes before adding a pinch of salt a drop of olive oil and boiling water. Then add a dash of cream.

Take the mixture to the point of "amalgamation" as Borgonzolo describes it - where the liquids start to reduce and the ingredients blend together without loosing their form.