AI-generated image
Gentse waterzooi
Creamy chicken and vegetable stew
Ghent's creamy chicken and vegetable stew
Ghent claims waterzooi as its own, and in the cafés around the Korenmarkt it is served in deep plates as a cross between soup and stew. Originally made with river fish, the city's version today is nearly always chicken, poached gently with leek, carrot, celery and potato, then the broth is enriched with cream and egg yolk until it turns silky and pale gold. It is eaten all year but tastes best on a damp Flemish evening, with crusty bread for the last of the broth. The mistake to avoid is boiling it after the yolks go in, which scrambles them; keep it below a simmer while it thickens. Chef's tip: cut the vegetables into fine, even julienne so they cook in the same time and look neat in the bowl.
- Total time
- 75 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
- 1 oz butter
- 2 leekswhite and pale green, cut into thin strips and washed
- 2 carrotscut into thin strips
- 2 celery stickscut into thin strips
- 1 ¾ lb skinless chicken thighsbone-in
- 5 cups chicken stock
- 14 oz waxy potatoespeeled, 2 cm cubes
- 3 sprigs fresh thyme
- 1 bay leaf
- ¾ cup double cream
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- ½ oz fresh parsleychopped
- 1 tsp salt
- ½ tsp ground white pepper
Shop this recipe on Amazon
What you'll need
Spices & pantry
Fresh ingredients (10)
Links open Amazon in a new tab. As an Amazon Associate, WhatToEat.Today earns from qualifying purchases.
Method
0/7 doneStep 1: Melt 1 oz butter in a large pan over a medium-low heat. Add 2 leeks, 2 carrots and 2 celery sticks with a pinch of salt and sweat for 8 minutes until soft but not coloured.
8 minStep 2: Add 1 ¾ lb skinless chicken thighs, 5 cups chicken stock, 3 sprigs fresh thyme and 1 bay leaf. Bring just to the boil, skim, then cover and simmer gently for 30 minutes.
30 minStep 3: Lift out the chicken. Add 14 oz waxy potatoes to the broth and simmer for 12–15 minutes until tender.
15 minStep 4: Meanwhile, pull the chicken from the bones in large pieces. Check a thick piece: it must be white through with clear juices, 165°F on a thermometer. Return it to the pan and remove the herbs.
Step 5: Whisk 2 egg yolks with ¾ cup double cream in a bowl. Whisk in a ladle of hot broth to warm the mixture, then pour it all into the pan.
Step 6: Stir over a low heat for 3–4 minutes, without letting it boil, until the broth thickens slightly and coats the back of a spoon.
4 minStep 7: Season with 1 tsp salt, ½ tsp ground white pepper and 1 tbsp lemon juice, scatter with ½ oz fresh parsley and serve straight away with bread. Leftovers keep 2 days in the fridge; reheat gently, stirring, until piping hot but not boiling.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 520 kcal
- Protein
- 42 g
- Carbs
- 23 g
- Fat
- 29 g
- Fibre
- 4 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does gentse waterzooi take?
- About 75 minutes in total: 25 minutes to prepare and 50 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 4 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- What can I use instead of butter?
- The same weight of ghee or coconut oil (for frying and most baking).
- What can I use instead of leeks?
- 1 onion per leek.
Reviews
No reviews yet. Be the first to cook it.
Rate this recipe
Sign in to rate and review this recipe.
You might also like
Arroz con pitu de caleyaSoupy rice with chicken
A pitu de caleya is a cockerel raised free in the lanes, or caleyas, of rural Asturias; its firm, flavourful meat needs long stewing, and families around Villaviciosa and Grado still cook it for feast days. The stew is often finished as a soupy rice, so the deep chicken juices go into every grain. Use the best free-range chicken you can find. The braise includes dry white wine; replace it with extra stock and a squeeze of lemon if you want it alcohol-free. Chef's tip: brown the chicken slowly and deeply; that colour is where the flavour of the whole pot comes from.
Spanish
Filet américainRaw minced steak spread
Despite its name, filet américain is a Belgian classic, served in Brussels brasseries with a mound of fries, or spread on a baguette as the famous 'broodje américain': very fresh lean beef, finely minced and mixed with mayonnaise, mustard, capers, chopped onion, parsley and a dash of Worcestershire sauce and Tabasco, so it is creamy and tangy. The beef is eaten raw, so it is not for pregnant women, young children or anyone with a weakened immune system. Buy a whole piece of the freshest steak from a trusted butcher, trim it and mince it yourself just before serving; never use ready-minced beef. A common mistake is preparing it in advance; make it and eat it at once. Chef's tip: chill the meat and the bowl well and mix with a fork, not a processor, so it stays loose. Use shop-bought mayonnaise, which is made with pasteurised egg.
Chicken kdra with almonds
Kdra takes its name from the tall copper pot it was cooked in, and in Fez it is a festive dish for weddings and family gatherings rather than an everyday tagine. The sauce is the point: kilos of onion melted down with smen, saffron, white pepper and cinnamon until it turns pale gold and creamy, with no tomato or paprika at all. Soft chickpeas and almonds simmered until tender go into it, and the whole thing is scooped up with bread. Expect a mellow, perfumed, buttery richness rather than heat. Chef's tip: soak and simmer the blanched almonds with the chicken; they lose their crunch and become creamy like the chickpeas, which is how Fassi cooks like them.
Moroccan