Hamburg Eel Soup

Ingredients:

• 1 bone from ham (ask your butcher) 
• 0.8 gal. water 
• 9 oz. peas 
• 1 parsnip 
• 2 leeks 
• 1/2 cup mixed herbs (thyme, marjoram, parsley, chervil, tarragon, dill) 
• 7 oz. prunes 
• 1/2 celery root 
• 4 1/2 oz. dried apple 
• 18 oz. fresh pears 
• 1 tablespoon of butter 
• 2 tablespoons of vinegar 
• 1 tablespoon of sugar 
• 2 tablespoons of flour 
• salt 
• pepper 
• nutmeg 
• 14 oz. eel filet 

Directions:

1. Place the ham bone into a big saucepan with the 0.8gal. of water. Bring to the boil and then reduce heat and let simmer for appr. 1 hour. 
2. In the meantime place the prunes and the dried apple into a bowl and cover with hot water. Let it soak. 
3. When the bone has simmered for 1 hour, chop the celery root and parsnip, slice the leeks and add together with the peas intothe water with the ham bone. Now reduce heat by half. 
4. After 30 minutes, take the bone out. 
5. Now add the dried apple and the prunes together with the water they have been soaking in. 
6. Now place the butter (make sure its soft) and the flour into a bowl and mix thoroughly. 
7. Add the mixture to the soup to bind it a little, stir vigorously and increase the heat. Let boil for 3 minutes to make sure there wont be any floury taste left. 
8. Reduce heat again and add vinegar, sugar, salt, pepper and nutmeg to taste. 
9. Now slice the eel filets into appr. 1/2 inch wide strips and add them together with the mixed herbs to the soup. Let simmer for another 15 - 20 minutes. 

The pears are a side dish and are prepared as follows:

1. Peel the pears, quarter them and cut the stones out. Boil them in slightly sweetened water for appr. 15 - 20 minutes until soft. 
2. Drain them and let cool. They are being served coldwith the eel soup.