The Belgian Cookbook E-Book

Various

• Herausgeber: Science & Technology Publishing
• Kategorie: Geisteswissenschaft
• Sprache: Englisch

Seitenzahl: 167

Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2025

Beschreibung

The Belgian Cookbook is a classic culinary collection first published in 1915, offering a fascinating glimpse into the traditional cuisine of Belgium during the early 20th century. Compiled by an anonymous author and translated by Mrs. Brian Luck, the book was created during World War I as a tribute to the resilience and rich culture of the Belgian people. It features a wide array of authentic Belgian recipes, ranging from hearty soups and savory stews to delicate pastries and desserts, reflecting the diverse regional flavors and culinary traditions of Belgium. The cookbook is organized into practical sections, making it accessible for both novice and experienced cooks. It includes detailed instructions for preparing classic Belgian dishes such as Waterzooi, Carbonnade Flamande, and various preparations of fish, poultry, and game. The book also highlights the importance of fresh, local ingredients and simple yet flavorful cooking techniques that define Belgian home cooking. In addition to main courses, readers will find recipes for breads, cakes, and sweets, as well as helpful tips on meal planning and kitchen management. More than just a collection of recipes, The Belgian Cookbook provides historical context and personal anecdotes, offering insight into Belgian life and hospitality during a time of hardship. The author’s engaging commentary and practical advice make the book both informative and enjoyable to read. Today, The Belgian Cookbook remains a valuable resource for anyone interested in exploring the culinary heritage of Belgium, preserving traditional recipes that have been passed down through generations.

Leseprobe

THE BELGIAN COOK-BOOK

By Various

Edited By Mrs. Brian Luck

1915 "Lucullus, whom frugality could charm, Ate roasted turnips at the Sabine Farm."

CONTENTS

PREFACE

PART I

CAULIFLOWER SOUP

FISH SOUP

STARVATION SOUP

IMMEDIATE SOUP, OR TEN MINUTES SOUP

CHERVIL SOUP

A GOOD PEA SOUP

WATERZOEI

A GOOD BELGIAN SOUP

BELGIAN PURÉE

AMBASSADOR SOUP

CRECY SOUP (BELGIAN RECIPE)

FLEMISH SOUP

TOMATO PURÉE

ONION SOUP

POTAGE LEMAN

TOMATO SOUP

SOUP, CREAM OF ASPARAGUS

GREEN PEA SOUP

VEGETABLE SOUP

MUSHROOM CREAM SOUP

THE SOLDIER'S VEGETABLE SOUP

LEEK SOUP

CELERIS AU LARD

CABBAGE WITH SAUSAGES

LEEKS À LIEGOISE

A SALAD OF TOMATOES

POTATOES AND CHEESE

FRIDAY'S FEAST

RED CABBAGE

ASPARAGUS À L'ANVERS

COOKED LETTUCE

STUFFED CAULIFLOWER

GOURMANDS' MUSHROOMS

POMMES CHÂTEAU

CHIPPED POTATOES

CHICORY À LA FERDINAND

APPLES AND SAUSAGES

STUFFED CHICORY

TOMATOES STUFFED WITH BEANS

CABBAGE AND POTATOES

SPINACH À LA BRACONNIÈRE

A DISH OF HARICOT BEANS

POTATOES IN THE BELGIAN MANNER

TOMATOES AND SHRIMPS

FLEMISH ENDIVE

CAULIFLOWER AND SHRIMPS

BELGIAN CARROTS

STUFFED TOMATOES

RED CABBAGE

VEGETABLE SALAD

CHICORY

CAULIFLOWER À LA REINE ELIZABETH

MUSHROOMS À LA SPINETTE

DRESSED CAULIFLOWER

BRUSSELS SPROUTS

RAGOUT OF MUTTON

STEWED SHOULDER OF MUTTON

SHOULDER OF MUTTON

MUTTON COLLOPS

SHOULDER OF MUTTON DRESSED LIKE KID

ROAST RUMP OF BEEF, BORDELAISE SAUCE

ROASTED FILLET OF BEEF

BEEF À LA BOURGUIGNONNE

OX-TONGUE À LA BOURGEOISE

BEEF À LA MODE

BOEUF À LA FLAMANDE

CARETAKER'S BEEF

BLANKENBERG BEEF

VEAL WITH TOMATOES

FRICANDEAU OF VEAL

VEAL CUTLETS WITH MADEIRA SAUCE

GRENADINS OF VEAL

CALF'S LIVER À LA BOURGEOISE

VEAL WITH MUSHROOMS, OR THE CALF IN PARADISE

BLANQUETTE OF VEAL

VEAL CAKE, EXCELLENT FOR SUPPER

BREAST OF VEAL

OX TONGUE

VEAL À LA MILANAISE

STUFFED VEAL LIVER, OR LIVER À LA PANIER D'OR

VEAL À LA CRÊME

This is the demi-glaze Sauce which is used for all brown Sauces.

DUTCH SAUCE FOR FISH

BEARNAISE SAUCE

MUSLIN SAUCE

SAUCE BORDELAISE

POOR MAN'S SAUCE

THE GOOD WIFE'S SAUCE

CREAM SAUCE

SAUCE MAÎTRE D'HÔTEL

SAUCE AU DIABLE

FRICASSEE OF PIGEONS

HUNTER'S HARE

FLEMISH RABBIT

ROAST KID WITH VENISON SAUCE

BAKED RABBIT

CHICKEN À LA MAX

RABBIT À LA BORDELAISE

LAEKEN RABBIT

RABBIT

HARE

RUM OMELETTE

THE CHILDREN'S BIRTHDAY DISH

A FRANGIPANI

APRICOT SOUFFLÉ

STEWED PRUNES

CHOCOLATE CREAM

SEMOLINA SOUFFLÉ

SNOWY MOUNTAINS

RICHELIEU RICE

EXCELLENT PASTE FOR PASTRY

CHOCOLATE CREAM

BELGIAN GINGERBREAD

APPLE FRITTERS

FOUR QUARTERS

SAFFRON RICE

SEMOLINA FRITTERS

SPECULOOS

GAUFRES FROM BRUSSELS

RICE À LA CONDE

PAINS PERDUS

FRUIT FRITTERS

MOCHA CAKE

VANILLA CREAM

RUM CREAM

PINEAPPLE À L'ANVERS

POUDING AUX POMMES

SOUFFLÉ AU CHOCOLAT

A NEW DISH OF APPLES

GOLDEN RICE

BANANA COMPÔTE

RIZ CONDE

CHOCOLATE CREAM

KIDNEY SOUFFLÉ

BAKED SOUFFLE

PEASANTS' EGGS

TWO RECIPES FOR TOMATOES AND EGGS

TOMATOES AND EGGS

MUSHROOM OMELETTE

ASPARAGUS OMELETTE

STUFFED EGGS

POACHED EGGS, TOMATO SAUCE

EGGS AND MUSHROOMS

BELGIAN EGGS

EGGS À LA RIBEAUCOURT

TO USE UP REMAINS OF MEAT

VEAL WITH ONIONS

VEAL CAKE

TO USE UP COLD MEAT

FLEMISH CARBONADE

A USE FOR COLD MUTTON

FLEMISH CARBONADES

FISH

REMAINS OF FISH

GOOD RISSOLES

CROQUETTES OF BOILED MEAT

CARBONADES DONE WITH BEER

WALLOON ENTRÉE

SCRAPS OF MEAT

FRICADELLE

CHICORY AND HAM WITH CHEESE SAUCE

CROQUETTES OF VEAL

ENTRÉE (CROQUE-MONSIEUR)

HOT-POT

HOCHE POT

BOUCHÉES À LA REINE

HOCHE POT OF GHENT

CARBONADE OF FLANDERS

HEADLESS SPARROWS

MUTTON STEW

HOCHE POT GANTOIS

CHINESE CORKS

LIMPENS CHEESE

CHEESE SOUFFLÉ

CHEESE CROQUETTES

CHEESE FONDANTS

CHEESE SOUFFLÉ

POTATOES AND CHEESE

YORK HAM, SWEETBREADS, MADEIRA SAUCE

HAM WITH MADEIRA SAUCE

A DIFFICULT DISH OF EGGS

COUNTRY EGGS

FRENCH EGGS

OEUFS CELESTES

PETITES CAISSES À LA FURNES

FLEMISH CARROTS

AUBERGINE OR EGG PLANT

EGG PLANTS AS SOUFFLÉ

POTATO CROQUETTES

PURÉE OF CHESTNUTS

HORS D'OEUVRES

POTATO DICE

ANCHOVIES

ANCHOVY SANDWICHES

ANCHOVY ROUNDS

ANCHOVY BISCUITS

ANCHOVY PATTIES

MOCK ANCHOVIES

CUCUMBER À LA LAEKEN

HERRING AND MAYONNAISE

SWEET DRINKS AND CORDIALS. ORGEAT

HAWTHORN CORDIAL

DUTCH NOYEAU

LAVENDER WATER

HOT BURGUNDY

CRÊME DE POISSON À LA ROI ALBERT

FISH AND CUSTARD

HAKE AND POTATOES

VERY NICE SKATE

TO KEEP SPRATS

TO KEEP MACKEREL FOR A WEEK

A BROWN DISH OF FISH

BAKED HADDOCKS

FILLETED SOLES AU FROMAGE

FILLETED FISH, WITH WHITE SAUCE AND TOMATOES

THE MILLER'S COD

DUTCH HERRINGS

REMAINS OF COD

PART II

HORS D'OEUVRE

CARROT SOUP

SORREL SOUP

OSTEND SOUP

ANOTHER SORREL SOUP

HASTY SOUP

ARTICHOKES A LA VEDETTE

SURPRISE POTATOES

VEGETABLE SALADS

TOMATOES A LA SIR EDWARD GREY HOMMAGE

STUFFED CARROTS

TO COOK ASPARAGUS

TOMATOES IN HASTE

KIDNEYS AND LETTUCE

TOMATO RICE

RICE WITH EGGS

BROAD BEANS IN SAUCE

OMELETTE OF PEAS

BRUSSELS ARTICHOKES

BELGIAN SALAD

BRUSSELS CARROTS

CARROTS AND EGGS

CUCUMBERS AND TOMATOES

RED HARICOTS

POTATOES A LA BRABANCONNE

FLEMISH PEAS

CHOU-CROUTE

SPINACH FRITTERS

HARLEQUIN CABBAGES

LITTLE TOWERS OF SALAD

PUFFS FOR FRIDAY

HADDOCK A LA CARDINAL

SKATE STEW

TO DRESS COARSE FISH

FLEMISH SALAD

FLEMISH SAUCE

BEEF SQUARES

IMITATION CUTLETS

KIDNEYS WITH MADEIRA

PIGS' TROTTERS IN BLANQUETTE

LOIN OF MUTTON IN THE POT

OX TONGUE WITH SPINACH AND WHITE SAUCE

VEAL FRITTERS

STEWED BEEF

A MUTTON SALAD

SAUSAGE PATTIES

SAUSAGE AND POTATOES

RAGOUT OF COLD MEAT

A QUICKLY MADE STEW

GRENADINES OF VEAL

HOCHE POT

PIGEON AND CABBAGE ROLLS

REMAINS OF SAUSAGE

SHOULDER OF LAMB A LA BEIGE

FILLET OF BEEF À LA BRABANCONNE

STEWED BEEF

BEEF AND APRICOTS

FOR AN INVALID

INVALIDS' EGGS

A SWEET FOR THE CHILDREN

QUINCE CUSTARD

YELLOW PLUMS AND RICE

BRABANT PANCAKE

DELICIOUS SAUCE FOR PUDDINGS

FRUIT JELLIES

STRAWBERRY FANCY

PINK RICE

MILITARY PRUNES

MADELINE CHERRIES

STRAWBERRY TARTLETS

MADEIRA EGGS OR OEUFS À LA GRAND'MÈRE

BUTTERFLIES

CHERRY AND STRAWBERRY COMPOTE

CHOCOLATE CUSTARD

GOOSEBERRY CREAM WITHOUT CREAM

CHOCOLATE PUDDINGS

INDEX

PREFACE

The recipes in this little book have been sent by Belgian refugees from all parts of the United Kingdom, and it is through the kindness of these correspondents that I have been able to compile it. It is thought, also, that British cooking may benefit by the study of Belgian dishes.

The perfect cook, like Mrs. 'Arris or the fourth dimension, is often heard of, but never actually found, so this small manual is offered for the use of the work-a-day and inexperienced mistress and maid. It is not written in the interests of millionaires. The recipes are simple, and most inexpensive, rather for persons of moderate means than for those who can follow the famous directions for a certain savory: "Take a leg of mutton," etc. A shelf of provisions should be valued, like love-making, not only for itself but for what it may become.

SAVORIES: If you serve these, let them be, like an ankle, small and neat and alluring. This dish is not obligatory; recollect that it is but a culinary work of supererogation.

SOUP: Let your soup be extremely hot; do not let it be like the Laodiceans. You know what St. John said about them, and you would be sorry to think of your soup sharing the fate which he describes with such saintly verve. Be sure that your soup has a good foundation, and avoid the Italian method of making consommé, which is to put a pot of water on to warm and to drive a cow past the door.

FISH: It is a truism to say that fish should be absolutely fresh, yet only too many cooks think, during the week-end, that fish is like the manna of the Hebrews, which was imbued with Sabbatarian principles that kept it fresh from Saturday to Monday. I implore of you to think differently about fish. It is a most nourishing and strengthening food—other qualities it has, too, if one must believe the anecdote of the Sultan Saladin and the two anchorites.

MEAT: If your meat must be cooked in water, let it not boil but merely simmer; let the pot just whisper agreeably of a good dish to come. Do you know what an English tourist said, looking into a Moorish cooking-pot? "What have you got there? Mutton and rice?" "For the moment, Sidi, it is mutton and rice," said the Moorish cook; "but in two hours, inshallah, when the garlic has kissed the pot, it will be the most delicious comforter from Mecca to Casa Blanca." Simmer and season, then, your meats, and let the onion (if not garlic) just kiss the pot, even if you allow no further intimacy between them. Use bay-leaves, spices, herbs of all sorts, vinegar, cloves; and never forget pepper and salt.

Game is like Love, the best appreciated when it begins to go. Only experience will teach you, on blowing up the breast feathers of a pheasant, whether it ought to be cooked to-day or to-morrow. Men, as a rule, are very particular about the dressing of game, though they may not all be able to tell, like the Frenchman, upon which of her legs a partridge was in the habit of sitting. Game should be underdone rather than well done; it should never be without well-buttered toast underneath it to collect the gravy, and the knife to carve it with should be very, very sharp.

VEGETABLES: Nearly all these are at their best (like brunettes) just before they are fully matured. So says a great authority, and no doubt he is thinking of young peas and beans, lettuces and asparagus. Try to dress such things as potatoes, parsnips, cabbages, carrots, in other ways than simply boiled in water, for the water often removes the flavor and leaves the fiber. Do not let your vegetable-dishes remind your guests of Froissart's account of Scotchmen's food, which was "rubbed in a little water."

SWEETS: It is difficult to give any general directions for sweets. They should be made to look attractive, and they should be constantly varied. The same remarks apply to savories, which last ought always to be highly seasoned, whether hot or cold.

MADE DISHES are a great feature in this little book. I have tried to help those small households who cook, let us say, a leg of mutton on Sunday, and then see it meander through the week in various guises till it ends its days honorable as soup on the following Friday. Endeavor to hide from your husband that you are making that leg of mutton almost achieve eternal life. It is noticeable that men are attracted to a house where there is good cooking, and the most unapproachable beings are rendered accessible by the pleasantness of a soufflé, or the aroma of a roast duck. You must have observed that a certain number of single men have their hearts very "wishful" towards their cook. Not infrequently they marry that cook; but it is less that she is a good and charming woman than that she is a good and charming cook. Ponder this, therefore; for I have known men otherwise happy, who long for a good beef-steak pudding as vainly as the Golden Ass longed for a meal of roses. Try these recipes, for really good rissoles and hashes. Twice-cooked meat can always be alleviated by mushrooms or tomatoes. Remember that the discovery of a new dish is of more use than the discovery of a new star,—besides which, you will get much more praise for it. And if on Wednesday you find that you have to eat the same part of the very same animal that you had on Monday, do not, pray, become exasperated; treat it affectionately, as I treat my black hat, which becomes more ravishing every time that I alter it. Only, do not buy extravagant make-weight for a scrap of cold meat that would be best used in a mince patty, or you will be like a man keeping a horse in order to grow mushrooms.

And, lastly, the good cook must learn about food what every sensible woman learns about love—how best to utilize the cold remains.

M. LUCK.

PART I

CAULIFLOWER SOUP

After you have boiled a cauliflower, it is a great extravagance to throw away the liquor; it is delicately flavored and forms the basis of a good soup. Wash well your cauliflower, taking great care to remove all grit and insects. Place it to simmer with its head downwards, in salted water; and, when it is tender, remove it. Now for the soup. Let all the outer leaves and odd bits simmer well, then pass them through a sieve. Fry some chopped onions, add the liquor of the cauliflower and the pieces that have been rubbed through the sieve, add a little white pepper and a slice of brown bread. Let all cook gently for half-an-hour, then, just before serving it, take out the slice of bread and sprinkle in two teaspoonfuls of grated Gruyere cheese.

FISH SOUP

When you buy fish and have it filleted, ask for the bones and trimmings to be sent also. Put a quart of milk to heat and add to it a bunch of mixed herbs, a few minced shallots, parsley, pepper and salt. Throw in your fish and cook for an hour. If you have any celery put in a piece, or two or three white artichokes. Strain the soup, taste it, and add more salt or more milk as you think necessary. Return to the pan. Take the yolk of an egg and just before taking the soup from the fire, stir it quickly in. This soup must never boil. It should be made out of the very white fish, excluding herring and mackerel.

STARVATION SOUP

If you have a pork-bone from the fresh meat, let it boil in water for an hour. Put the pan to cool and take off the fat, and remove the bone. Replace the pan on the fire and throw into it two pounds of Brussels sprouts. Do not add onions to this soup but leeks, and the hearts of cabbage. Pepper and spice to taste. Rub it through a sieve and let it be thick enough to form a thin purée.

IMMEDIATE SOUP, OR TEN MINUTES SOUP

Into a quart of boiling water throw two tablespoonfuls of either semolina or tapioca: let it boil for eight minutes with a dust of salt and pepper. Meanwhile, take your tureen, put quickly into it two yolks of very fresh eggs, add two pats of butter and two small spoonfuls of water to mix it. Stir quickly with the spoon, and when the soup has done its eight minutes' boiling, pour it on the egg and butter in the tureen. This is an extremely good soup. It is rendered still better by a small quantity of Bovril.

CHERVIL SOUP

Put a bone of veal on to cook in water, with four or five potatoes, according to the quantity desired. When these are tender, pass them through the tammy and return them to the soup. Chop up the chervil, adding to it half a dessert-spoonful of cornflour. Quarter of an hour before serving, put in the chervil, but take the cover off the pot, so that it remains a good green color. Pepper and salt to be added also.

[V. Verachtert, Café Appelmans, Anvers.]

A GOOD PEA SOUP

Soak your dried peas over-night. The following day boil some fresh water, and throw in the peas, adding a few chopped onions and leeks, with pepper and salt. Let the soup simmer for three hours on the top of the stove, giving it a stir now and then. If you have a ham-bone, that is a great improvement, or the water in which some bacon has been boiled is a good foundation for the soup, instead of the fresh water.

[Mdlle. M. Schmidt.]

WATERZOEI

This is an essentially Flemish soup. One uses carp, eels, tench, roach, perches, barbel, for the real waterzoei is always made of different kinds of fish. Take two pounds of fish, cut off the heads and tails, which you will fry lightly in butter, adding to make the sauce a mixed carrot and onion, three cloves, a pinch of white pepper, a sprig of parsley, one of thyme, a bay-leaf; pour in two-thirds of water and one-third of white wine till it more than covers the ingredients and let it simmer for half-an-hour. Then the pieces of fish must be cut an equal size, and they are placed to cook quickly in this liquor for twenty minutes. Five minutes before serving add a lemon peeled and cut into slices and the pips removed. Some people bind the sauce with breadcrumbs grated and browned. You serve, with this dish, very thin slices of bread and butter. For English tastes, the heads and tails should be removed when dressing the dish.

A GOOD BELGIAN SOUP

is called crême de sauté. Itself one of the most wholesome of vegetables, watercress combines admirably with potatoes in making soup. Wash, dry, and chop finely four ounces of the leaves picked from the stalks, fry slowly for five minutes with or without a thinly-sliced onion, add one pound of potatoes cut in small dice, and fry, still very slowly, without browning; pour in one quart of water or thin stock, simmer gently, closely-covered, for from thirty-five to fifty minutes, rub through a hair sieve, and having returned the puree to the saucepan with a half-teaspoonful of castor sugar, and salt and cayenne to taste, thicken with one table-spoonful of flour stirred smoothly into one breakfast-cupful of cold milk; boil up sharply, and serve sprinkled with watercress.

[E. Haig.]

BELGIAN PURÉE

Cook two pounds of Brussels sprouts in boiling water. Take them out, drain them and toss them in butter for five minutes, sprinkle them with a teaspoonful of flour, and then cook them in gravy (or meat extract and water), fast boiling, over a good fire, and keep the lid of the saucepan off so that they may remain green. Pass them through the sieve, leave them in ten minutes, bind the mixture with the yolks of three eggs, a pint of milk; then at the last minute one dessert-spoonful of butter for each pint and a half of soup.

AMBASSADOR SOUP

A pint and a half of either fresh peas, or of dried peas that have been soaked for six hours in cold water; a leek, and three onions chopped finely. Simmer till the peas are tender, then pass all through the sieve. Well wash some sorrel and chop it, and add as much as will be to your taste. In another pan cook five tablespoonfuls of rice, and add that to your soup. Simmer up again, stirring it all very well. This soup should be of a green color.

[Mme. Georges Goffaux.]

CRECY SOUP (BELGIAN RECIPE)

Take ten carrots, two onions, one leek, five potatoes, and cook all gently in water, with salt and pepper; when they are tender, rub them through the sieve and serve it very hot.

[G. Goffaux.]

FLEMISH SOUP

To two pounds of washed and picked Brussels sprouts add ten potatoes, two onions, two leeks, salt, pepper. Cook all gently and pass through a sieve. Add at the last moment a sprinkle of chopped chervil.

[G. Goffaux.]

TOMATO PURÉE

Begin by cleaning four potatoes, two leeks, a celery, four carrots, three pounds of big tomatoes; well wash all these vegetables and cut them in dice, the tomatoes a little larger. Cook them all gently for an hour in nearly two pints of gravy, to which you have already added two thick slices of bread and a pinch of salt. Take care that your vegetables do not stick to the bottom of the pan. When all is well cooked, pass it through a fine tammy. Add more gravy, or water and meat juice; make it of the consistency that you wish. Bring it to the boil again over the fire, adding pepper and salt, and just before serving a bit of fresh butter also. It is a great improvement to add at the last minute the yolk of an egg, mixed in a little cold water, quickly stirred in when the soup is off the fire.

The three recipes for seven or eight persons.

[G. Kerckaert.]

ONION SOUP

Mince some thick onions, five or six, and let them color over the fire in butter. Add a dessert-spoonful of flour, sprinkling it in, and the same amount in gravy; thicken it with potatoes and when these are cooked, peas, all through a sieve. Bring the purée to the right consistency with milk, and let it simmer for a few minutes before serving, adding pepper and salt.

[Gabrielle Janssens.]

POTAGE LEMAN

Make a good gravy with one and one-half pounds of skirt of beef. With one half of the gravy make a very good purée of peas—if possible the green peas—with the other half make a good purée of tomatoes. Combine the two purées, adding pepper and salt and a dust of cayenne. For each guest add to the soup a teaspoonful of Madeira wine, beat it all well and serve quickly. Or add, instead of Madeira, one dessert-spoonful of sherry wine.

This celebrated soup is honored by the name of the glorious defender of Namur.

[Gabrielle Janssens.]

TOMATO SOUP