Waterzooi

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Waterzooi is a classic stew of Northern Belgian cuisine. Its name is Dutch, meaning "watery mess".

The most common form is made of fish, either freshwater or sea, (waterzooi de poissons, viszooitje), though chicken waterzooi (waterzooi de poulet, kippenwaterzooi) is also served. The stew is made of the fish or chicken, vegetables including carrots, leeks and potatoes, herbs, eggs, cream and butter.

Typically, fish such as eel, pike, carp, and bass are used.

Sometimes called Gentse Waterzooi [Flemish] (or in French as 'waterzooi gantois'), this merely refers to 'Ghent', a city in Belgium. Gentse Waterzooi Van Kip includes chicken. Gentse Waterzooi Van Tarbot includes turbot (other fish such as cod, monkfish, or halibut can be used). Both the chicken and fish versions are based on an egg yolk and cream thickened vegetable broth and usually served as a soup with a baguette to sop up the liquid. To cook: 500g fish of choice 75g butter (unsalted) 500 ml vegetable or fish stock 1 leek, cleaned and julienned 2 carrots, julienned 2 medium potatoes, peeled and cut into 2cm pieces bay leaf 10 black peppercorns 1 egg yolk 250cl double cream salt Method: melt butter in large pan over medium heat - add vegetables, bay leaf and peppercorns and sauté (stir in the butter) for 5 minutes without allowing vegetables to brown, add stock and bring to boil20:34, 5 December 2006 (UTC)Blacktoque. Add fish and reduce heat to allow the liquid to simmer, about 10 minutes. Remove fish and cut in to pieces. To the egg yolk add 20cl of the stock, stirring while adding - add the mixture to the pot, with the cream and bring the mixture back to just below boiling. Add fish and test for flavour, adding salt as required. Serve in shallow bowls. Total cooking time, 30 minutes.

Waterzooi is mentioned in the Asterix adventure Asterix in Belgium. Before the final war with the Romans the women cook up waterzooi for the Belgian warriors.