Ghent Stew Gentse Hutspot Recipes

HUTSPOT

Steps:

• Dice& boil onions and carrots 20 minutes.
• Drain.
• Boil peeled and quartered potatoes 20-25 minutes, til tender.
• Drain and dry thoroughly.
• Add onions and carrots mash well.
• Add salt, pepper, butter and milk.
• Mix.
• Warm all together and serve hot.

GHENT STEW (GENTSE HUTSPOT)

Steps:

• In a large pot or Dutch oven place meats, stock or water, salt, pepper, bay leaves, and cloves and bring to a boil.
• Skim surface, reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 3 hours.
• Add carrots, leeks, celery and simmer an additional 30 minutes.
• Add cabbage and potatoes and simmer until potatoes are cooked, about 30 minutes.
• Remove pigs feet, if using; slice beef and bacon and arrange on a serving platter.
• Arrange vegetables around meat.
• Serve stock separately as a gravy.

BELGIUM WATERZOOI BELGIAN (GENTSE WATERZOOI)

Steps:

• FOR THE WATERZOOI: Rub the chicken inside and out with salt and pepper. Butter the bottom of a large, heavy casserole with 2 tablespoons of the butter. Layer it with the onions, shallots, leeks, celery, carrots, and parsley roots. Lay the chicken pieces on top of the vegetables. Pour the wine and chicken broth over everything, season with salt and pepper, and bring to just below a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer very gently, without letting the broth come to a boil, until the meat on the chicken nearly falls off, about 2 1/2 hours. Remove the chicken and set aside or bone it, if you desire. Continue to simmer the remaining ingredients until the parsley roots are soft, another 30 minutes.
• In a medium size bowl, beat together the egg yolks, heavy cream, the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter, and a few tablespoons of the broth from the casserole. Remove the parsley roots and pass them through a food mill or mash them. Stir them into the egg mixture. Slowly pour the egg mixture into the stew, whisking all the time so the eggs don't curdle. Add the parsley and lemon juice and stir. Ladle the broth over the chicken pieces and serve immediately. Makes 6 to 8 servings.
• CHICKEN BROTH:.
• This is a nice homemade broth that can be used for recipes calling for chicken broth. For duck broth, replace the chicken bones and meat with a duck carcass and for rabbit broth, replace with rabbit bones. 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.
• Put all the ingredients, except the salt and pepper, in a stockpot, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer and skim off the foam from the surface until no more appears. Partially cover the pot and simmer over very low heat for at least 6 hours.
• Pour the broth through a strainer (a chinois, or conical strainer, would be ideal) and discard all the bones, vegetables, and bouquet garni. Now line the strainer with cheesecloth and pour the broth through again. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Place the broth in the refrigerator until the fat congeals and remove. The broth can kept, refrigerated for up to 1 week, or frozen for up to 6 months. Makes 3 to 4 quarts.
• Real Stew.

GENTSE WATERZOOI

Steps:

• Chop all the vegetables (except the potatoes) finely (brunoise) and cook for 5 minutes in the vegetable stock. Drain, but keep the stock.
• Poach the chicken filets in the same vegetable stock for about 20 minutes.
• Cook the potatoes.
• Keep vegetables and chicken warm, while making the sauce.
• Strain the vegetable stock.
• Make a roux (or beurre manié) from 100 gr butter and 100 gr of flour = Melt the butter and add the flour, add 1 l of the vegetable stock, let cook until slightly thickened.
• Finish off by adding the cream and the beaten egg yolks and add salt and pepper to taste.
• Use soup plates for serving. Starting with the vegetables, put the cut up chicken filet on top, add sauce and garnish with potatoes and parsley.

BELGIAN HUTSEPOT

Steps:

• 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.