About this Dish
Ghent's great medieval stew — originally made with fish from the rivers Leie and Scheldt, now more commonly made with chicken. A creamy, vegetable-rich broth of leeks, celery, carrots and potato with the protein poached gently within. One of Belgium's oldest dishes, documented in Ghent's records from the 16th century. Simple, elegant and deeply satisfying.
IngredientsServes 4
🍗Chicken thighs and drumsticks, 1.2kg bone-in
🧅Leeks, 2 large, white and light green parts sliced into rounds
🥕Carrots, 3 medium, peeled and cut into thick batons
🌿Celery stalks, 3, sliced roughly
🥔Waxy potatoes, 3 medium, peeled and cut into chunks
🧈Unsalted butter, 40g
🫙Chicken stock, 1 litre, good quality
🥛Double cream, 150ml
🥚Egg yolks, 2
🌾Fresh flat-leaf parsley, a generous handful, chopped
Method
1
Melt the butter in a large, heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat. Add the leeks, carrots and celery with a good pinch of salt and sweat gently for about 8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until softened but not coloured.2
Nestle the chicken pieces skin-side up on top of the vegetables, then pour over the chicken stock. It should just cover everything — top up with a splash of water if needed. Bring to a gentle simmer.3
Add the potato chunks, then reduce the heat to low. Cover and poach everything together for 35–40 minutes, until the chicken is completely tender and cooked through and the potatoes are soft.4
Lift the chicken pieces out onto a board. Remove and discard the skin, then pull the meat off the bones in generous chunks and set aside. Skim any excess fat from the surface of the broth.5
In a small bowl, whisk together the egg yolks and double cream. Ladle a spoonful of the hot broth into the cream mixture and stir quickly to temper it, then pour the whole mixture back into the pot over low heat.6
Stir gently and heat for 2–3 minutes — do not let it boil or the eggs will curdle. The broth will thicken slightly into a beautiful, velvety sauce. Return the chicken to the pot and taste for seasoning.7
Ladle into deep bowls, making sure everyone gets plenty of vegetables, chicken and broth. Scatter over the fresh parsley and serve with thick slices of crusty white bread or buttered bread on the side for dipping.User Reviews
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