Ingredients:

  Amount  Measure       Ingredient -- Preparation Method
--------  ------------  --------------------------------
   4      pounds        eel
   1      tablespoon    olive oil
   1      tablespoon    paprika
   2      cups          hot water
   3                    garlic cloves -- chopped
  14                    blanched almonds
   2      tablespoons   chopped fresh parsley
     1/4  teaspoon      saffron
   1      tablespoon    olive oil
                        salt to taste

Preparation:

A favorite Valencian tapa as well as a popular main dish, especially along the Costa Blanca. A cold beer might go best with this piquant tapa. Clean and skin eels and cut into 1- to 1 1/2-inch pieces. Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a casserole or skillet, add paprika, and stir in enough water to cover eels. Bring to a boil and add pieces of eel. Meanwhile with a mortar and pestle or in an electric blender crush garlic, almonds, parsley, and saffron with enough olive oil to make a smooth paste. Stir mixture into casserole, add salt to taste, and cook for about 20 minutes or until eels are done. Add more water if sauce thickens. Serve hot. Variation: For an all-in-one meal or a main course, add peas, chopped carrots, or new potatoes (or all three) and serve over rice, as they do in Valencia.