For ➍800 g mixed freshwater fish (pike, trout...)*
2 stalks of celery
2 leeks
4 carrots
1 small shallot
2 twigs of thyme
0,5 l fish broth**
30 cl dry white wine***
20 g butter
2 tbs parsley, chopped
2 tbs green celery, chopped
1 lemon
salt & pepper
(50 g cream, 1 egg yolk)
(4 slices of bread, crust removed. 20 g butter)
Cut the cleaned fish in equal chunks (3x3cm).
Cut the leeks in 1 cm segments. Shred the celery . Slice the carrots and the shallot.
Heat the pan. Melt the butter. Add shallot, carrots, leek and celery and fry for a minute. Add fish broth and bring to a boil. Add wine. Add thyme, salt & pepper.
Add fish and simmer for 8 m.
(Whisk yolk into cream. Take soup off heat. Add cream)
(Melt the butter and bake the bread golden brown. Put a slice in a deep dish). Pour over the stew and sprinkle with green celery and parsley. Serve as a main dish with rye bread or a few boiled potatoes.
*Avoid salmon. Firm white sea fish can be used instead, such as monkfish. A variation can be made with chicken (replace the broth with chicken stock).
**Use less for less soup-like dish.
***Replace with a Belgian white wheat beer for a different taste.
This Flemish recipe of Ghent, called waterzooi, was orginally made with river fish. As the water quality declined, it was replaced with chicken. Several other cities have their own version.
