Filet d'Anvers salad with endives

For ➍
320 g filet d'Anvers
4 endives*
1 radicchio
5 tbs olive oil
3 tbs wine vinegar
pepper

Arrange the thin filet d'Anvers on plates.
Cut the endives into thin strips and arrange them over the meat.
Make a dressing of olive oil and vinegar and a turn of the pepper mill. Sprinkle over the endives.
Serve with bread and farm butter.

'Filet d'Anvers' is smoked beef, a speciality of Antwerp. A similar method is used for smoked horse meat. In 19th century UK, horses were used in mining, but the horses could not be slaughtered for human consumption. Old horses were shipped to Antwerp, where they were slaughtered. The meat was then salted, dried and smoked.

Belgian horse steak

For ➍
4 horse meat steaks 250 g, 2 cm thick, at room temperature
50 g butter
3 tbs peanut oil
salt & pepper
(4 shallots, chopped)*
(8 tbs of red wine)*

Grind pepper over the steaks. Choose a skillet that can accommodate the steaks with little room left.

Heat the pan. Pour in the oil and add half of the butter. Let the butter foam.

Put the steaks into the pan and fry for 5 m on each side.

Put steaks aside on a warm platter. Sprinkle with salt. Cover.

Remove fat from pan. Add remaining butter and melt gently. Add salt and pepper.* Pour over the steaks.

Serve with double-baked frites and a green salad with fresh mayonnaise.

*Alternatively, omit salt and pepper. Add shallots. Cook and pour in the wine, stir and let evaporate. Pour over steaks. Serve with frites.

The Belgian city of Vilvoorde, near Brussels, was the home of a flourishing horse-trade and, consequently, is still known for its pjeereju (horse-meat) restaurants.
Picture shows a sanded glass pane door of a now defunct local café, where horse merchants fixed their deals.
Visit the Vilvoorde City site.