The Case of the Missing Moules et Frites

Photo: www.dinosaurbarbque.com

Actually, there's no mystery. We're just not hungry!

We helped some friends move today and, about mid-afternoon when we'd finished unloading everything, decided that the team's hard work had earned us all a late lunch at the "new" Troy location of Dinosaur Bar-B-Que.

So, having chowed down some tasty 'que, we decided on the way home not to swing by the grocery for the moules and skip this last dish. Sorry!

You may be wondering: What are moules et frites?  Well, they make one of Belgium's most popular dishes - mussels with fries! Here's the recipe I planned to use, so you can try them if you want.

Well, that does it for Belgium. Sorry for only making two dishes this week - it was a busy one! I'll announce our next destination tomorrow, and I might even tackle the first dish, too.

Stay tuned!

Waterzooi

When I saw the name of this dish I wanted to make it before I even knew what's in it. Then, when I saw that it's a decadently creamy stew with veggies and either chicken or fish, I decided I must make it. Even more exciting, this recipe was featured in a New York Times article from 1987 that's gotten a fair bit of attention (at least in the blogosphere) since then.

The iconic Julia Child selected waterloo for her recipe in the article titled "Celebrity Cook: The Most Interesting Recipe I've Clipped." Although Julia recommends eliminating the cream and eggs as a lighter alternative, in keeping with the low-fat fare that has emerged since she discovered this dish in pre-World War II Brussels, I've opted to (sort of *) leave them in for a more "authentic" taste experience.

For me, the leeks make this dish. I just love them and their flavor melds wonderfully with the tangy vermouth. If you prefer, a dry white wine would work just as well. Tarragon, too, is a lovely choice for seasoning, given how perfectly it pairs with chicken. As for the meat, try if you can to use organic chicken and broth. Once you've tasted it, you'll really appreciate the difference. Since we only needed a light shop this week, we splurged the few extra dollars for it and it's definitely money well spent.

If you want an easy, delicious alternative to your usual chicken soup, stew or casserole, consider trying waterzooi. I think you'll really enjoy it. Here's how I made Julia's version:

¾ pound baby carrots
2 medium onions
3 celery stalks
2-3 leeks
1 tsp dried tarragon
Salt and freshly cracked black pepper, to taste
2½ lbs bone-in chicken, skinned (I used 5 drumsticks and 2 breasts)
1 bottle (375 ml) dry vermouth
1 qt chicken broth
½ cup fat-free half-and-half (* or heavy cream, like Julia)
1½ tsp cornstarch
6 egg yolks

Julienne the carrots, onion, celery and leeks into matchsticks. You should have about 5 cups when done. Toss them in a large bowl with the tarragon, salt and pepper.

Layer the veggies and meat in a casserole or Dutch oven, starting with one-third of the veg, half the meat, half the leftover veg, the rest of the meat, and the rest of the veg. Add the vermouth first, then enough broth to just barely cover the meat. Cover and slowly bring to simmer over medium heat. Continue to simmer for 25-30 minutes, till the meat is cooked.

When done, strain out the cooking liquid into a large saucepan. Taste and adjust the seasonings as needed.  Whisk the egg yolks in a separate bowl, then add the cream and cornstarch and mix well. Dribble the egg mixture into the cooking liquid and stir gently till slightly thickened and silky. Be very careful the heat isn't too high, or the eggs will scramble! Pour this mixture back over the chicken and veggies and then, as Julia said best, "Bon appétit!"


(Cook's Notes: Depending on the size and shape of your cooking vessel, you might not need an entire quart of broth; in fact, Julia only needed about half that amount. Because I used more, the flavors were diluted, so I added more tarragon, salt and pepper to the cooking liquid at the end, as well as a little extra cornstarch - about 1 tsp of each. Even so, this dish has a delicate taste. Oh, I definitely recommend a nice crusty bread or even some rice to mop up all that sauce.)

All Hail the King!

Huh. Am I the only one who didn't realize that Belgium was a monarchy? Or, to be precise, a federal parliamentary constitutional monarchy?

King Albert II, Belgium's current monarch, is a member of the royal house Saxe-Coburg-Gotha, from which Queen Elizabeth II, Britain's current monarch, is also descended. In fact, I believe the link is with Queen Victoria's husband, who was also named Albert. (Most European monarchs from the last century or more seem to be connected to Victoria; they're all some kind of cousin...)

Anyhoo, just a tidbit of trivia that might come in handy.

Sorry no recipe tonight, but I'll definitely post one tomorrow. Cheers!

The Year of Gastronomy

Well, go figure! According to visitbelgium.com, the Belgium Tourist Office's website, 2012 is the year of gastronomy! And, they've confirmed what we already suspected: There's much more to Belgian cuisine than chocolate, beer and waffles.

For instance, did you know that Belgium invented French fries? They did, way back in 1781 in the town of Huy. When the river froze in winter and fish were no longer available, the locals would cut potatoes into fish shapes and fry them up to replace their usual treat. Today, traditional Belgian fries - or frites - are thicker, twice-baked versions of the French shoestring fries, and Belgians consume 33% more fries than the average American - 165 pounds each year! But, don't grab the ketchup; frites are typically eaten with mayonnaise, Russian dressing and other creamy condiments.

The country's signature cookies are called speculoos - crispy, browned pressed shortbreads that originally were baked only around Christmastime. Thus, they're often stamped with images of Saint Nicholas, even though they're now available year round. I've found several recipes online, including this very vague one, so I might have to file these away for this year's holiday cookie swap!

If you're in the mood for something more savory, Jambon d'Ardennes is an air-dried ham, similar to Italian prosciutto, that's cured with sea salt, juniper berries, thyme and coriander and smoked over beech and oak woods till dark brown. Originating from the Ardennes forest in southern Belgium, each ham has a yellow-numbered leaden seal of authenticity.

You can sample these and many other Belgian specialties at the many food festivals and events scheduled there, beginning in May and running through year end. In Liege, a gastronomic village, the (world's?) biggest open-air restaurant, will open in June. Libramont hosts its Agricultural and Forest Fair in late July, with more than 1,500 exhibits highlighting all aspects of the "rural world," including livestock breeding, horticulture, agrifood, etc.).

There also are festivals scheduled for BBQ, omelettes and cheese in August, soup and beer in September, and fries in December. A veritable smorgasbord of events to choose from!

So, if you're looking for a place to go to celebrate your love for all things food, then Belgium should be your destination in 2012.

Carbonnades Flamandes

This traditional Belgian beef stew, made with beer, is an extremely popular dish. Sometimes made with wild game, like boar, it's almost always made with a rich, dark beer. 

I seriously considered buying boar, which is readily available at local meat markets like Roma, but I needed to be extra gentle with our budget this week due to unforeseen expenses related to a sick cat...  =^..^=  (By the way, if you think boar is adventurous, you should see what this stew is made with! Trust me, even I won't go there.)

The beer I wanted to use, called Delerium Nocturum, is corked like champagne and sold in a ceramic bottle with a pink elephant on its label. It's definitely a dark beer but costs $12.99 per bottle and I'd need two for this recipe. Since that totaled more than the rest of the ingredients combined, I went for the store's next best option: a medium, golden "blonde" brew called Leffe with a more agreeable price of $1.99 per bottle - not quite as dark but with some bitterness, despite the bottle's description, and way more budget friendly.

The smell as this stew blipped away on our stovetop was maddening - it smelled so good. Thankfully, the end result was just as satisfying. Hearty, rich, thick, it's truly scrumptious. That bit of vinegar that's added at the end has a marvelous effect, with just the tiniest bite. Plus, a blustery, wintry chill descended upon the northeast again today, so this meal is perfectly timed. 

Carbonnades Flamandes is extremely easy to make and absolutely delicious. I highly recommend it. Here's how I made it:

Oil

3 lbs bottom round beef roast, trimmed and cut into cubes

3 slices peppered bacon

6 onions, thinly sliced

1 cup unsalted beef broth

2 cups (1 pint) Belgian beer

2 tsp turbinado sugar

2 tsp thyme

1 bay leaf

Salt and freshly cracked black pepper, to taste

3 Tbsp cider vinegar mixed with 1/2 tsp dried tarragon

2 Tbsp cornstarch

6-8 boiled red-skinned potatoes, cut into quarters or halves (depending on size)

Heat the oil over high heat in a large pot. Sear the beef on all asides, in batches if necessary, and remove from the pan. Reduce the heat slightly, add the bacon and onions and sauté till the onions begin to soften. Then, add the broth to deglaze the pan. Follow with the beer, sugar, thyme, bay, salt and pepper. 

Mix well and return the beef to the pan. Reduce the heat to low, cover and simmer for 90 minutes, till the meat is tender. If the liquid reduces too much, add more broth or beer as needed.

When the meat is ready, skim any excess fat that may have collected on top and adjust the seasonings, if necessary. Whisk together the vinegar and cornstarch and pour it into the stew. Raise the heat slightly, uncover and boil gently for another 15 minutes till thickened. Serve it over the potatoes.

Week #10: Belgium

This is going to be a great week! We're taking our tastebuds to Belgium!!!

I've found so many interesting recipes and lots of great info about Belgian food. This country's cuisine isn't just about chocolate, waffles and beer, although its certainly lauded for each of them, and more. Dutch, German and French influences yield hearty soups and stews. Also, despite just a sliver of coastline, many recipes prominently feature fish and seafood, like pike, bass and even eel! (Don't think I'll tackle that last ingredient, but I've got another signature seafood dish in mind...)

Perhaps it's most famous ingredient, however, bears it's name. Belgian endive, discovered there in 1830, is a bitter lettuce-like relative of chicory that grows heartily in its native country. Belgians call it "white gold" and rank it among the world's most exotic and luxurious ingredients, like saffron, caviar and truffles. There are red a green varieties and, depending on how they're prepared, their flavor changes, making endive an ideal component of everything from soups to stews to salads.

To me, though, it's most marked trait is the debate over how to pronounce it. According to this chef, you say it just like it looks, "EN-dive." This clever commercial begs to differ and calls it "on-DEEV." (Amazingly, the PronunciationHub's explanation differs from both!) Turns out, according to this site, both the chef and the commercial are correct, but there are different pronunciations because they're different plants. I guess, in the end, it's just another case of toe-MAY-toe and toe-MAH-toe.

So, join me as we sample some famous Flemish flavors! They're sure to be delicious!