Waterzooi
A creamy stew genuinely specific to Ghent, tracing to the Middle Ages and the Quai de Brabant along the Leie river. It began as a fishermen's stew using whatever freshwater fish the Leie yielded, and as river pollution reduced fish stocks through the 19th and 20th centuries, chicken waterzooi became the dominant modern version — both are legitimately traditional, from different eras, not one a corruption of the other. Its name comes from Middle Dutch/Flemish words for boiling, not from 'water' plus a decorative term. The defining technique is finishing the broth with an egg yolk and cream liaison off the heat, never boiling it afterward, or it curdles.
⚠ Contains: Dairy, Egg, Fish. Always check your own ingredients — this isn't a guarantee for severe allergies.
Ingredients
- 1 whole chicken, cut into pieces (or firm white fish for the fish version)
- 2 carrots, julienned
- 2 celery stalks, julienned
- 2 leeks, julienned
- 1 onion, chopped
- Bay leaf, thyme, parsley
- 1 liter chicken or fish stock
- 3 egg yolks
- 200ml heavy cream
- Butter
- Boiled potatoes, to serve
Steps
- Gently poach the chicken (or fish) with the julienned vegetables in stock until tender.
- Remove the meat and keep warm.
- Whisk the egg yolks with the cream, temper with some hot broth, then stir back into the pot off the heat to thicken it into a silky base — do not boil after this point.
- Return the meat and vegetables to the pot.
- Serve with boiled potatoes and crusty bread.