Belgian Recipes

2 rabbits – (2 1/2 lbs ea) or 1 hare; cut into serving pieces
Rabbit livers
2 large onions
1 bay leaf
2 1/2 cups red Burgundy wine
1 tablespoon red-wine vinegar
Juice of 1 lemon
1 pinch dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly-ground black pepper
5 1/2 tablespoons butter
1 tart apple; peeled, cored and chopped
2 shallots; minced
2 cups beef broth
2 teaspoons cornstarch; dissolved in 1 tablespoon water
1 teaspoon Kitchen Bouquet

Slice 1 onion thin and break into rings. Put onion rings, rabbit, and bay leaf in a shallow bowl. Pour on a mixture of wine, vinegar, lemon juice, thyme, salt, and pepper. Cover and refrigerate for 24 to 36 hours; less time for young rabbits.

Drain rabbit. Reserve marinade and onion rings but discard bay leaf. Chop livers and saute in 2 tablespoons of the butter. Chop remaining onion and add with apple to livers. Saute until onion is soft. Add 1 cup of the reserved marinade and simmer, covered, for 1 hour.

Melt remaining butter and brown rabbit well on all sides. Add shallots, reserved onion rings, rest of marinade, and beef broth. Simmer, covered, for about 1 hour, or until tender. Remove rabbit and keep warm.

Puree liver mixture in a blender. Stir liver puree, constarch mix, and Kitchen Bouquet into pan liquid. Cook, stirring, until smooth and thickened. Simmer, covered, for 10 minutes more. Serve the sauce with the rabbit.

This recipe yields 6 to 8 servings.

Source: THE HUNTER’S GAME COOKBOOK by Jacqueline E. Knight (c) 1978 Published by Winchester Press, New York

  

1 cup milk
1/4 cup butter
1/3 cup sugar
1 teaspoon salt
2 pkg dry yeast
1/2 cup warm water
3 eggs
5 cup flour
1 cup raisins

In pan combine milk, butter and sugar and salt. Heat it lukewarm.

In large bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water; stir in milk mixture. Beat in eggs. With mixer gradually beat in the flour to make a soft dough. Add raisins. Knead about 10 min. Turn dough into a greased bowl; cover and let rise until doubled.

Pinch off 1/3 of each piece and set aside. Shape each large piece into a smooth ball; then place 6 balls around the outside edges of 2 greased 9″ cake pans. Shape each smaller piece into a tear-drop rounded on top. with finger, poke a hole in the center of each large ball and insert pointed end of tear-drop. Settle it securely. Cover and let rise until almost doubled (45 min.).

Beat 1 egg yolk and 1 tbl. water and brush rolls. Bake at 350° F for 45 min. or until richly browned. Cool 5 min. then turn out on racks. Pull apart to serve.

Yield: 12 servings

Source: my collection

  

4 sirloin steaks (3/4 lb each)
3/4 lb lean ground pork
1/2 cup fresh bread crumbs
2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 teaspoon pepper
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 cup butter

Popular in Belgium and Holland, these steak roll-ups, which resemble small birds, are often prepared by the butcher and cooked at home. Buy steaks that are about 1/2 inch thick.

Between 2 pieces of waxed paper, pound steaks to 1/4 inch thickness. Cut into 8 X 4 inch pieces. Combine pork, bread crumbs, parsley, lemon juice, pepper, salt and nutmeg. Shape into 8 balls. Place one portion of pork at short end of each steak. Roll up steaks to enclose pork. Tie rolls with string at 1 inch intervals.

In a large heavy bottomed Dutch oven or 2 skillets, melt butter over high heat; brown roll-ups all over, in batches. Cover and cook over low heat for 10 to 15 minutes, turning occasionally or until pork is no longer pink. To serve, remove string, slice and spoon pan juices over top.

Remarks: 8 servings.

Source: Canadian Living, November 1993.

  

2 lb black currants
1 lb fine sugar
1/2 cup fruit alcohol of 95 degrees
1 bottle white wine from Hageland (you can replace it with Riesling)

Preparation:
Wash the black currants carefully, remove the stalks. Put the berries into a jar and add the sugar. Mix carefully. Close the jar and leave it for 3 days. When the sugar has totally dissolved pour the fruit alcohol over the berries, close the jar and leave it for 3 weeks.

The day of serving the drink:
Pour the fruit liquor through a fine sieve. Take a champagne glass and fill it to 1/4 with black currant liquor. Then add the white wine.

Sant?!

Remarks: 4 servings.

Source: Kreatieve Keuken – August 1992. My translation

  

1 package (1 Tbs, 15 ml) active dry yeast
2 cups (500 ml) warm milk
2+1/4 cups (625 ml) all-purpose flour
1 egg
3 Tbs (45 ml) sugar
3 eggs yolks
8 Tbs (120 ml) butter, melted and cooled to room temperature
1 tsp (5 ml) vanilla extract
3 egg whites, beaten to soft peaks

Combine the yeast and 1/4 cup (60 ml) of the warm milk in a small bowl and allow to proof for 5 minutes. Sift the flour into a large mixing bowl and add the egg, yeast mixture, and sugar. Stir to mix well with a wooden spoon.

Add the remaining milk and the egg yolks one at a time, stirring to incorporate. Add the melted butter and vanilla, stirring just to combine.

Fold the egg whites into the batter, cover with a towel, and allow to rise for 1 hour. Stir down the batter when ready to cook and cook according to your waffle iron’s directions.

Remarks:
Makes about 12 waffles.

Source: Olga Drozd – Posted at my former Food Forum at 18:54:14 06/18/2001.

  

2 large red onions; sliced
6 tablespoon butter
3 cup chicken stock
1 bottle beer
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
4 thick slices french bread
1 grated parmesan cheese

In a large saucepan, saute onion in butter until soft. Add chicken stock, beer, salt and pepper. Cover and simmer about 30 minutes. Adjust seasonings. Broil bread on one side about 3 inches from heat. Turn, sprinkle generously with Parmesan cheese, and broil 1-2 minutes more, until lightly browned. Pour soup into bowls. Add cheese-covered bread. Makes 4 servings.

Source: Lon Hall’s “Cooking With Beer”.

  

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.

  

500 g – 1,1 lb haricots princesses
or green beans
3 large potatoes
125 g – 4 oz. smoked streaky bacon,
in one piece
15 g – 1/2 oz. butter
1 tb chopped parsley
1 tb chopped spring onions
0.5 dl – 3 tb + 1 ts red wine vinegar

Trim and wash the beans and cook them in boiling, salted water. They must remain firm. At the same time, cook the potatoes in their skins in boiling salted water.

While the vegetables are cooking, dice the bacon and fry in 15 g – 1/2 oz. butter until it changes color. When the potatoes are cooked, peel them and cut them into rounds.

Drain the beans. Put the beans in a salad bowl, arrange the potatoes all around, sprinkle with the chopped parsley and spring onions, and pour the diced bacon and its fat over the lot.

Pour the wine vinegar in the frying pan and boil, scraping up the crunchy remaining bits of bacon and bacon juice until the liquid has reduced considerably.

Pour over the salad, and serve warm.

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).