Waterzooi, from Belgium

Waterzooi is a stew dish originating from Flanders, Belgium. It’s believed that the original recipe first appears in Ghent and made out of fish. With industrialization, rivers all around Ghent have become too polluted, and most fish disappeared, so the chicken has replaced fish. With chicken, the recipe becomes even more popular. Still, the rest of the ingredients remain the same, including cream, carrots, onions, celeriac, leeks, potatoes, and herbs such as parsley, thyme, bay leaves. I like to add a bit of Belgium beer in the broth to add complexity and bound Belgium flavors.

It’s best served hot with bread and butter to soak up the delicious creamy soup. Ghent’s restaurants pride themselves on having a culinary treasure of their own, the mouthwatering Waterzooi.