waterzooi
Next Dish: Salteñas
Waterzooi is a traditional Belgian stew originating from the Flanders region. The dish, whose name translates to "watery mess", is typically made with fish or chicken, vegetables, cream, and eggs. The broth is thickened with either egg yolk, cream, or a roux. Although originally a fish stew, the chicken version is more common today.
Recipe
Ingredients:
1 whole chicken or 4 chicken thighs
2 leeks
4 carrots
1 onion
2 celery stalks
3 cloves of garlic
2 liters of chicken broth
4 egg yolks
200 ml of heavy cream
1 bunch of fresh parsley
1 bay leaf
2 sprigs of thyme
Salt and pepper to taste
2 tablespoons of butter
2 tablespoons of flour
Instructions:
Clean and chop the leeks, carrots, onion, celery, and garlic.
In a large pot, melt the butter and add the chopped vegetables. Cook until they soften.
Add the whole chicken or chicken thighs to the pot and add the chicken broth, bay leaf, and thyme.
Bring the pot to a boil, then reduce the heat and let it simmer for about an hour, or until the chicken is fully cooked.
Remove the chicken from the pot and let it cool. Once it's cool enough to handle, remove the skin and bones and shred the meat.
In a separate bowl, whisk together the egg yolks and heavy cream.
Slowly pour a ladle of the hot broth into the egg yolk and cream mixture, whisking constantly to prevent the eggs from scrambling. This is called tempering.
Pour the tempered egg and cream mixture back into the pot, stirring constantly. This will thicken the broth and give it a creamy consistency.
Add the shredded chicken back into the pot and stir to combine.
Season with salt and pepper to taste, and garnish with fresh parsley before serving.