Category — Vegetables

450g / 1lb Brussels sprouts, trimmed
480ml / 16fl.oz. dark beer
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons butter

Place the sprouts in a medium saucepan and pour in enough beer to cover.
Bring to the boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 15-20 minutes or until tender, adding more beer if necessary.
Drain well then return to the pan, season with salt and add the butter.
Stir over a low heat until the butter has melted and coated the sprouts. Serve immediately.

  

1 kg / 2 lb leeks
1 ts olive oil
juice of 1 lemon
2 eggs
1 tb mayonnaise
1 ts French mustard
A few capers

Trim off the green parts of the leeks, chop up the white part and wash thoroughly, then drain well and pat dry. In a saucepan heat 2 tb. olive oil and stew the chopped leeks gently for about 8-10 minutes or until cooked.
Meanwhile, hard-boil the eggs. Put the leeks in a shallow dish, dress them with the lemon juice, salt and pepper, and allow to cool.

Shell the eggs and mash them with a fork, adding the mayonnaise and mustard. Mix in the capers. Spread the egg mixture onto the leeks and chill for at least 2 hours.

Makes 4 servings.

Source: A Taste of the Belgian Provinces, Enid Gordon and Midge Shirley (published by The Tuesday Group, rue Frans Merjay, 1060 Brussels).

  

2 lb – 1 kg beef roast; boneless
2 lb – 1 kg pork shoulder roast; boned and bone reserved
3 qt – 3 lit. water;
2 bay leaves
8 peppercorns
2 ts salt
8 small new potatoes
1 medium savoy cabbage
4 medium white turnips
2 lb – 1 kg peas
Toasted croutons
Chives; chopped
Dijon mustard
Horseradish

This recipe originates in Flanders where Savoy cabbage is much loved. The stock is made into a quick pea soup and served as a first course. It is similar to the French Pot au Feu although the former has peas and the latter garlic and leeks.

Cover the beef, pork, pork bone, bay leaves and peppercorns in water in a large pot and bring to a simmer. Skim the foam away and cover; simmer 2 1/2-3 hrs until the meats are tender. Add the salt during the last hour.

Prepare and reserve the vegetables. Wash the potatoes; do not peel if new. Wash, trim, core and cut the cabbage into 8 wedges. Peel and quarter the turnips. About 30 min before the meat is done add the potatoes and turnips. Remove the meats and vegetables from the broth; arrange the vegetables around the meat on a large platter, cover with foil and keep warm. Discard the pork bone.

Strain the broth through cheesecloth and reserve 2 cups for the pea soup, returning the rest to the pot to cook the cabbage in. Simmer the cabbage 5-7 min until tender and remove; arrange on the meat platter.

Meanwhile cook the peas in a separate smaller pot; puree in a blender with the reserved broth in small lots until smooth. Strain through a wire sieve discarding the pulp. Re-heat and serve as a first course garnished with croutons and chives. Then bring the hot platter to the table; slice meat and serve with mustard and horseradish.

To adapt to a crockpot I would suggest [but have not tested] about 10-12 hrs on low for the meats, perhaps 4 hrs for the potatoes and turnips and do the cabbage with the meats and vegetables say the last 30 min. Do the peas separately on the stove at the last minute.

Remarks:
8 servings.

Source: Adapted from a recipe in the Sunset Cook Book for Soups and Stews by Jim Weller – Intercook

  

8 medium heads Belgian endive
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons flavorless cooking oil
1/2 cup low-sodium chicken broth or water
1/2 teaspoon salt

Cut each endive in half lengthwise and set aside. Heat the butter and oil in a large skillet over medium heat on the stove. Add the endive in one layer and cook until the outer leaves are nicely browned, about 7 minutes. Turn endives and brown the other side, about 4 minutes. (Do this in two batches, if necessary.)

Add the broth, sprinkle with salt and cook until the liquid is reduced, about 10 minutes. Transfer the endive and its juices to a serving platter.

Makes 4 servings.
Source: Kreatieve Keuken

  

200 g – 7 oz. flour
8 g – 1/3 oz yeast
1 dl – 3,3 fl. oz. milk
30 g – 1 oz. butter
1 egg
0.25 ts salt

For the filling:
400 g – 14 oz. chicons (Chicory, Belgian Endive)
30 g – 1 oz. butter
100 g – 3,5 oz. cream cheese
2 eggs
1 dl – 3,3 fl. oz. double cream
Salt, pepper

Preparation:
First prepare the pastry: dilute the yeast in warmed milk and melt the butter. Sift the flour in a large bowl and add gradually the milk and yeast mixture and melted butter. Beat in the egg and salt. Knead the dough vigorously, shape it into a ball, wrap it in greaseproof paper and leave it to rise in a warmish place for 2 hours.

Meanwhile chop the chicons finely and stew them gently in 30 g (1 oz.) butter for about 10 minutes. In a bowl, whisk the eggs with the cream, add the cream cheese and season with salt and pepper. Roll out the pastry fairly thin, line a pie plate or flan dish with it, and prick the surface with a fork. Spread the chicons over the pastry and pour the cream mixture over them. Cook in a moderately hot oven for 15-20 minutes or until the flan has set and browned.

Remarks: 4 servings.

Source: A Taste of the Belgian Provinces, Enid Gordon and Midge Shirley (published by The Tuesday Group, rue Frans Merjay, 1060 Brussels).

  

2 pounds potatoes; see * Note
Vegetable oil; for frying
Fine sea salt; to taste

* Note: Bintjes potatoes are preferred. Bintjes potatoes are ideal for frites, as they hold their shape and do not turn floury when fried, Idaho work almost as well.

Peel potatoes and sliced lengthwise into 1/3- by 1/3- by 2 1/2-inch sticks. Soak potatoes in cold water and cover for a minimum of 1 hour and up to 24 hours. Drain, and pat dry.

Heat 3 inches oil in a large stockpot to 275 to 300 degrees. Line two baking sheets with paper towels. Blanch potatoes in small batches without crowding, turning occasionally, until completely cooked but barely colored, 3 to 4 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer potatoes to one of the prepared baking sheets to drain in a single layer.

Increase oil temperature to 350 to 360 degrees. Fry potatoes in small batches, turning occasionally, until crisp and golden brown. Using a slotted spoon, transfer to prepared baking sheet in a single layer. Sprinkle with salt, and serve immediately.

This recipe yields 4 servings.

Comments:
Legend has it that the french fry was invented not by the French, but by a group of Belgian peasants in the seventeenth century. During an especially brutal winter, the river that was their main source of sustenance froze, making fishing impossible. In lieu of the real thing, these creative folk took to carving potatoes into fish shapes and frying them.

The American term “french fry” is derived not from a mistaken French origin — the French call them pommes frites — but from the fact that they are “frenched,” or cut lengthwise into strips.

The method of twice-frying potatoes is also attributed to Belgium, where, in the mid-nineteenth century, a famous Belgian cook named Cauderlier recorded a process he called “double friture,” in which the potato strips are first blanched in vegetable oil to cook the insides, then left to cool completely, and fried again at a much higher temperature to crisp the outsides and give them a rich golden color.

Belgians are passionate about these frites, which are commonly sold in small shops along city streets and served in paper cones with a sprinkling of salt and a generous dollop of mayonnaise.
Source: Recipe originally from Martha Stewart Living – Lynn Thomas on the Food Forum BB – corrections by Diana van den Broek.

  

Belgian Fries I

3 to 4 cups vegetable oil for frying
2 pounds Idaho or russet baking potatoes or Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled, rinsed and dried
salt to taste

There is no fancy skill involved in making these crispy fries, but there is a trick. The potatoes are fried twice. The first time cooks them through and makes them tender. The second time, which can be done hours later just before serving, turns them golden brown and deliciously crisp.

You won’t need a lot of special equipment, but a few items are essential. If you own an electric deep fryer, you’re all set. If not, a 4-quart fryer with a basket insert and a separate deep-fat thermometer is your next choice.

In a pinch, use a heavy pot that is at least 5 inches deep, a long-handled fried-food skimmer or very large long-handled slotted spoon, and a deep-fat thermometer.

Keep in mind that the older the potato, the better it is for making fries. Never make fries with young potatoes as they have not had time to develop sufficient starch.

The size of the fries is a very personal matter. Some people like them very thin and crunchy. Others prefer them quite large so that they can be crispy on the outside and soft in the center. Experiment to find the size you like best. Very thinly cut potato sticks need a shorter frying time, and the thicker ones take a little longer.

Note: When frying anything in deep fat, always keep a lid close by. In case of fire, turn off the heat and cover the pan.

Pour enough oil into a deep fryer to reach at least halfway up the sides of the pan but not more than three-quarters of the way up. Heat the oil to 325?F.

Cut the potatoes into sticks 1/2 inch wide and 2 1/2 to 3 inches long. Dry all the pieces thoroughly in a clean dish towel. This will keep the oil from splattering. Divide the potato sticks into batches of no more than 1 cup each. Do not fry more than one batch at a time.

When the oil has reached the desired temperature, fry the potatoes for 4 to 5 minutes per batch. They should be lightly colored but not browned. If your fryer has a basket, simply lift it out to remove the fried potatoes. Otherwise, use a long-handled skimmer to lift out the potatoes. Be sure to bring the temperature of the oil back to 325?F in between batches. At this point the fries can rest for several hours at room temperature until you are almost ready to serve them.

Heat the oil to 355?F. Fry the potatoes in 1-cup batches until they are nicely browned and crisp, 1 to 2 minutes. Drain on fresh paper towels or brown paper bags and place in a warmed serving bowl lined with more paper towels. Sprinkle with salt and serve. Never cover the potatoes to keep them hot as they will immediately turn soft and limp. If you are inclined to perfectionism, leave some potatoes to fry halfway through the meal so you can serve them crisp and piping hot.

Remarks: 4 servings.

Source: Everybody Eats Well in Belgium – Ruth Van Waerebeek

  

8 sm head belgian endive
Squeeze lemon juice
Seasoning
8 thin slices cooked ham

Sauce:
2 tb butter
1/4 c flour
1 1/4 c milk
1/2 c to 3/4 c grated cheddar or gruyere cheese

Topping:
1/2 c to 3/4 c fresh soft breadcrumbs
1/4 c grated cheddar or gruyere-cheese

Trim the bottom of the endive heads and remove the outer leaves if necessary. Cook in boiling salted water with a squeeze of lemon juice for about 15 minutes until JUST tender. Drain well and wrap each head of endive in a slice of ham, then put into the baking dish.

Prepare the sauce while the endive is cooking. To make this, heat the butter in a saucepan. Remove from heat, stir in the flour, return to the heat and cook for several minutes. Remove from heat and blend in the milk. Stir over a low heat until thickened, add seasoning and 3 tbsp of the endive stock. Add the cheese to the sauce, pour over the ham and endive. Top with crumbs and cheese, brown under the broiler.

Remarks: 4 servings.

  

200 g – 7 oz. pork in cubes
4 German sausages
2 finely chopped onions
1 bottle of beer
1/2 beef-tea cube
750 g – 1,6 lb potatoes
1 small green cabbage
pepper and salt
ground cloves to taste

Season the pork cubes and fry together with the sausages and the onions. When browned, add beer and beef-tea cube. Stew for 20 minutes.

In the meantime slice the cabbage, put the cabbage on the meat and stew till soft. Cook the potatoes.

When the meat stew is ready, add the hot potatoes and mix carefully. Season with pepper, salt and ground cloves, if you wish.

Serve with beer.

Remarks: 4 servings.

Source: my collection

  

1 kg – 2,2 lb potatoes
1 kg – 2,2 lb carrots
1 finely chopped onion
50 g – 1,75 oz. butter
250 g – 8,75 oz. bacon
a sprig of thyme
1 tablespoon chopped parsley
some milk
salt and pepper

Clean the carrots and slice them into thin rounds. Melt the butter in a large pan and fry the onion until it is golden. Add carrots, thyme, parsley and salt and pepper to taste. Add water to cover the vegetables and let simmer for 40 minutes.

Cook the potatoes in salted water for 20 minutes. Cut the bacon in small pieces and fry them slowly. When everything is ready mix the vegetables with the potatoes and the bacon. Add some milk and pass through a vegetable shredder. Season with pepper and salt.

Serve very warm with baked sausages and mustard.

Remarks: 4 servings.

Source: my collection