Recipe

Belgium Waterzooi Belgian (gentse Waterzooi) Recipe

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Ingredients

1/2 c heavy cream .
4 large egg yolks .
3 leeks, slit lengthwise, washed well, & finely sliced (white & light green part only) .
8 lbs chicken bones, with meat .
5 quarts cold water .
4 parsley roots, peeled & cut into sixths (3 to 4 lb total) .
CHICKEN BROTH .
3 carrots, finely sliced .
3 celery ribs, finely sliced .
2 c dry white wine .
1 large onion, halved & separated into layers .
3 celery ribs, with leaves sliced .
10 black peppercorns .
salt & freshly ground black pepper .
2 shallots, finely sliced .
1 bouquet garni (consisting of 6 springs each fresh parsley, thyme, & marjoram, 2 springs fresh sage, & 1 bay lea) .
2 medium size onions, finely sliced .
1/2 lemon, juice of .
1 leek, washed well & cut up .
3 c rich chicken broth (homemade) .
2 tbsps finely sliced fresh parsley leaves .
1 c dry white wine .
1/4 c unsalted butter, at about room temp .
salt .
2 carrots, sliced .
fresh ground white pepper .
1 (3 1/2 lb) roasting chickens, cut into 8 pieces

Directions

Step #1 FOR THE WATERZOOI: Rub the chicken inside & out with salt & pepper.
Step #2 Butter the bottom of a large, heavy casserole with 2 tbsps of the butter.
Step #3 Layer it with the onions, celery, leeks, carrots, shallots, & parsley roots.
Step #4 Lay the chicken pieces on top of the vegetables.
Step #5 Pour the wine & chicken broth over everything, season this with salt & pepper, & bring to just below a boil over high heat.
Step #6 Reduce the heat to low, without letting the broth come to a boil, until the meat on the chicken nearly falls off, cover, & let simmer very carefully, about 2 1/2 hrs.
Step #7 Remove the chicken & set aside or bone it, if you desire.
Step #8 Continue to simmer the remaining ingredients until the parsley roots are soft, another 30 mins.
Step #9 In a medium size bowl, beat together the egg yolks, the remaining 2 tbsps of butter, heavy cream, & a few tbsps of the broth from the casserole.
Step #10 Remove the parsley roots & pass them through a food mill or mash them.
Step #11 Stir them into the egg mixture.
Step #12 Slowly pour the egg mixture into the stew, whisking all the time so the eggs don’t curdle.
Step #13 Add the parsley & lemon juice & stir.
Step #14 Ladle the broth over the chicken pieces & serve as soon as possible.
Step #15 Makes 6 to 8 servings.
Step #16 CHICKEN BROTH:.
Step #17 This is a nice homemade broth that can be used for recipes calling for chicken broth.
Step #18 For duck broth, replace the chicken bones & meat with a duck carcass & for rabbit broth, replace with rabbit bones.
Step #19 For recipes calling for a rich chicken broth, first roast the chicken bones in a 425°F oven until golden before proceeding with the recipe.
Step #20 Put all the ingredients, in a stockpot, except the salt & pepper, & bring to a boil.
Step #21 Reduce the heat to a simmer & skim off the foam from the surface until no more appears.
Step #22 Partially cover the pot & let simmer over very low heat for at least 6 hrs.
Step #23 Pour the broth through a strainer (a chinois, vegetables, or conical strainer, would be ideal) & discard all the bones, & bouquet garni.
Step #24 Now line the strainer with cheesecloth & pour the broth through again.
Step #25 Spice up to taste with salt & pepper.
Step #26 Place the broth in the refrigerator until the fat congeals & remove.
Step #27 The broth can kept, put in the fridged for up to 1 week, or frozen for up to 6 months.
Step #28 Makes 3 to 4 quarts.
Step #29 Real Stew.
Enjoy the Belgium Waterzooi Belgian (Gentse Waterzooi) recipe