Belgian Waterzooi Recipe

Waterzooi is a traditional Belgian stew made with fish and vegetables served in a creamy broth. The vegetables are sauteed before adding the cooking liquid. Cream is then added followed by the last ingredient, the fish.

The stew is ready just as the fish has cooked. Waterzooi is eaten as a main dish and served with a crusty bread.

Traditional waterzooi is made with a firm white meat fish such as cod and halibut. Many to today’s waterzooi are made with chicken.

Most are made with some sort of thickener like cream or eggs. They are used in place of each other or sometimes both are used.

Typical vegetables used are onions, carrots, celery, leeks and potatoes. The vegetables are cooked in a stock or have a bouillon cube added to water. Some waterzooi is flavored with beer.

In addition to the fish, some waterzooi are made with other seafoods like shrimp or mussels. In the more popular chicken variation, the chicken can be cut up or placed whole into the cooking liquid.

Origin and Cultural Significance

Waterzooi originated from Ghent, in the Flemish region of North Belgium.  The name comes from the Dutch word zooien which means to boil.

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Belgian Waterzooi Recipe

Yield: 4 Servings

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes

Total Time: 35 minutes

Waterzooi is a traditional Belgian stew made with fish and vegetables served in a creamy broth.

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Ingredients

• Butter (unsalted) - 4 tbsp
• Olive oil - 1 tbsp
• Shallots (peeled & minced) - 3
• Leeks (cut in half, washed & sliced) - 2 ½ cups
• Fennel (cored & sliced thin) - 1
• Carrots (large, peeled & julienned) - 2
• Celery (washed & sliced) - 2
• Bay leaves - 2
• Thyme (fresh) - 1 tbsp
• Potatoes (quartered) - 6
• Fish or vegetable stock - 4 cups
• Belgian beer - 1 cup
• Cream - 2 cups
• Fish (white variety) - 2 lbs
• Sea salt - to taste
• White pepper - to taste
• Chervil (or Italian leaf parsley) - ¼ cup

Instructions

1. Remove the fish skin and bones.
2. Cut the fish into 1 ½ inch cubes.
3. Add the butter and olive oil to a large Dutch oven or 12 qt pot.
4. Heat over medium until the butter is melted and starts to foam.
5. Add the minced shallots and sauté for 3 - 4 minutes.
6. Add the sliced leeks and fennel, season with salt and pepper.
7. Sauté for another 5 minutes or enough time to slightly wilt the leeks.
8. Add the carrots, celery, bay leaves, thyme, and sauté for another 4 minutes.
9. Add the potatoes, fish stock, cooking beer, and cream.
10. Bring the mixture to a simmer for about 8 minutes.
11. Season the fish with salt and pepper.
12. Add to the pot, turning down the heat to a low and cook for about 8 - 10 minutes. All the vegetables should be tender and the fish just cooked.

Photo Credit: Martin Bravenboer

Photo Credit: Tamorlan