Belgium

STAPLE FOOD

• Wheat (Bread)
• Potato

Belgium is known synonymous with the waffles, but their main dish is called the Kippenwaterzooi

Recipe

Ingredients:
1 6-pound stewing hen or capon (or 2 3-pound fryers), cut into serving pieces, with giblets
1 tablespoon butter
5 leeks, cut in big chunks
5 celery stalks, cut in big chunks
2 carrots, cut in big chunks
2 onions, peeled and stuck with 2 cloves each
Bouquet garni of
6 sprigs parsley
1/2 teaspoon thyme
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
10 peppercorns
1 bay leaf (wrap these in tin foil and pierce all over with a fork)
8 cups chicken stock
1 cup dry white wine
juice of 1 lemon
4 egg yolks or two egg yolks and 2-3 tablespoons flour
3/4 cup heavy cream
Garnish:
1 lemon, sliced into 4 thin slices
2 tablespoons minced parsley
Preparation:
Saute onions, leeks, celery, and carrots in butter with 1/4 cup chicken stock added to keep the vegetables from sticking, for 5-10 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon to a plate. Rub the chicken pieces with butter, then for 20 minutes, turning often. You can also brown under the broiler , 4-5 inches from the heat. When lightly browned, put in a kettle with the giblets, and all the rest of the ingredients except for the lemon juice, egg yolks and cream. Bring to a boil, cover, and simmer for 1 hour or more (25-40 minutes for fryers), until the chicken is tender.
Remove chicken and giblets from the broth and cool. Throw out the bones and skin.
Strain the broth and skim off the fat. (If you're not serving immediately, you could put the broth in the freezer to make the skimming easier.) Return broth to kettle and stir in the lemon juice.
When ready to serve, cut the chicken in big chunks and mince the giblets. Bring the broth to a simmer, then add the chicken and giblets and return to kettle. If you are using flour, beat it in now. Heat through, covered, for 5 minutes.
While it is heating, beat the eggs and cream together, then beat a cup of the simmering broth into the egg cream and whisk the whole mixture back into the kettle. Simmer at very low heat for 2-3 minutes so it will thicken without curdling.
Ladle into deep soup plates, then float a thin lemon slice, sprinkled with parsley, in each one. Serve with boiled potatoes as a main course.


Their speculoos cookies are the national cookie. They can be found in any restaurant, bar, and ice cream flavors.

Recipe

• 
  2 cups all purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground ginger
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/4 cups (packed) dark brown sugar
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1 large egg

• 2 ounces good-quality white chocolate (such as Lindt or Baker's), melted
• Red colored sugar

Combine first 6 ingredients in medium bowl. Using electric mixer, beat brown sugar and butter in large bowl until light. Add egg and beat until fluffy. Gradually add dry ingredients and beat just until combined. Divide dough in half. Flatten each half into rectangle. Wrap with plastic; chill 1 hour.

Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly butter 2 large baking sheets. Roll out 1 dough piece on lightly floured work surface to 13 x 9-inch rectangle. Trim edges to form 12x8-inch rectangle. Cut into 24 4x1-inch rectangles. Lightly press miniature cookie cutter into each rectangle to make imprints (do not cut through dough). Arrange cookies on prepared baking sheets, spacing 1 inch apart. Bake until edges begin to darken, about 8 minutes. Transfer cookies to rack and cool. Repeat with remaining dough piece.

Working with 1 cookie at a time, brush imprints with melted white chocolate. Sprinkle colored sugar generously over chocolate. Let stand until chocolate sets, about 2 hours. Shake off excess colored sugar. (Can be made ahead. Store in airtight container at room temperature up to 1 week, or freeze up to 1 month.)