(Pl Waterzooi with Boon Gueuze, peasant style
Waterzooi, a delicate confusion of a creamy soup and a
hearty stew, is truly one of the glories of
Belgium’s country cooking. Numerous versions
exist, some are more elegant and refined, others less
pretentious, rustic and comforting The following
version is easy and fast to prepare. This
Peasant-style Waterzooi with it’s tender pieces
of chicken surrounded by big, colourful chunks of
vegetables and it’s delicious broth, flavored
with one of the falvorful Lambics of Belgium, Boon
Gueuze, will delight everyone. Serve with a crunchy
loaf of bread.
Rinse the chicken and discard all excess fat. Season
the cavity with salt and pepper and place half of the
fresh herbs inside.
Melt the butter in a heavy Dutch oven. Add the
vegetables, cover, and simmer over low heat for 10
minutes, stirring occasionally. Season the vegetables
with salt and pepper to taste. Place the bird, breast
side up, in the pan and cover with broth or water and
1 cup Boon Gueuze. Tie the remaining parsley, thyme
and bay leaf together with kitchen string to make a
bouquet garni and add to the broth. Cover and regulate
the heat to maintain the liquid at a simmer for 40
minutes.
Add the cubed potatoes to the broth and cook until the
potatoes are done and the chicken is very tender,
25-35 minutes.
Carefully remove the chicken from the broth and
transfer to a plate. Divide the bird into 4 to 6
servings (you can easily strip off the skin if you
like). Discard the bouquet garni from the broth and
using a ladle, remove most of the fat floating on the
surface.
In a mixing bowl, whisk the cream with the egg yolks
and the remaining beer . Slowly pour a ladle full of
hot broth into the egg mixture to temper it, then
gradually stir this mixture into the broth . Cook,
stirring constantly, until the broth thickens. Do not
allow to boil or the sauce will break! Taste the sauce
for seasoning and add more salt or pepper if
necessary. Stir in the minced herbs.
Divide the vegetables and the chicken equally in
heated deep plates and pour the hot sauce over it.
Serve with a crunchy loaf of bread on the side and
plenty of Duvel
Ingredients:
1 stewing or roasting hen (3 to 4 pounds)
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
2 bay leaves
˝ bunch fresh parsley
2 large sprigs fresh thyme or 1 teaspoon dried thyme
3 tablespoons butter
1 large onion, peeled and cut into 8 pieces
5 leeks, white and light green parts only, rinsed well
and sliced into thick rounds
3 large carrots, peeled and sliced into thick rounds
2 ribs celery or 1 celery root in season, sliced into
big pieces
4 cups chicken broth or water
1 bottle Boon Gueuze (330ml)
4 large potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes
1 cup heavy cream
2 egg yolks
1/3 cup finely minced fresh parsley, chives, or
chervil (or a mixture) for serving
gondolom nem kell ragaszkodni az adott
sörtípushoz)