I've done plenty of freshwater eels in my time - messy to prepare (you have to shake them in a bag with salt, to get all the slime out from the skin, before skinning and cooking them) but they do go great just poached in a dish in the oven, with a little white wine and some fresh herbs. Or smoked, just as you would a fillet of trout.
Saltwater eel is another thing entirely, i think: hasn't got the oil content that freshwater eel has. I had some once, from the fishmonger. No idea if it was conger, or moray, or what type of eel. It was cut into cutlets / steaks about an inch or so thick, slice straight through the beast and the skin left on. So I just did as I would with a tuna steak: hot pan, little oil with a smidge of garlic; dust the steaks with seasoned flour (I use rice flour, it doesn't go gluggy like wheat flour can) and quick sear each side then rest for a minute. Serve with simple accompaniments - chips and garden salad, and plenty of lemon wedges. It was very edible - firm, white flesh and quite moist; more flavour than, say, whiting, but not so much as striped trumpeter.
