There are many different species of moray eels - all of the Murenidae biological family and genus Muraena - distributed in most of the planetary seas. The one widespread in the Mediterranean Sea and in the Eastern Atlantic Ocean is the M. helena; other species are: appendiculata, argus, clepsydra, lentiginous, melanotis, pavonina, retifera And robust.
The moray is perhaps the poor fish par excellence. It is not a blue fish nor a white fish, despite the white color of its flesh. A source of high biological value proteins, specific vitamins and minerals, the moray belongs to the 1st fundamental group of foods. Like other fishery products, it is also rich in iodine and semi-essential fatty acids - but biologically active - of the omega 3 group - eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). From a dietary point of view, it lends itself to most diets, with few exceptions linked above all to the presence of serious metabolic diseases - hereditary or acquired, the latter especially in the presence of severe overweight. However, it should be emphasized that traditional recipes based on moray eel tend to greatly distort its nutritional properties.
The moray is traditionally eaten floured and fried, or in fish soup. It has the characteristic of being very rich in thorns, especially in the area of the tail - which is usually eliminated together with the head - which is why it is preferable to consume only large creatures. Note: of course, the selection of fish is only possible if the source of supply uses underwater fishing, which allows a visual sampling of the specimens. Another characteristic that has determined a gradual decrease in the consumption of moray eels is the difficulty in cleaning. It is, in truth, an obstacle that is easy to overcome. Having a thick, rubbery and indigestible skin, the moray should in fact be skinned, not scaled. ; the procedure takes place comfortably if hung on a hook, it is instead more complicated within the walls of a kitchen. Some choose not to remove the skin, but portion the fish into very thin slices, in order to facilitate the operation directly on the plate after cooking.
