Exploring the Rich Tapestry of Regional Belgian Cuisine
- piketoplate
- May 8
- 5 min read
When it comes to traveling, I enjoy planning the trip almost as much as the trip itself. It may sound a bit old fashioned, but I often purchase a physical road map of the country we’re going to visit. There’s something about unfolding the map, spreading it out on the floor, circling the cities I have to see, and then connecting the dots to complete the itinerary. Next comes the spreadsheet, complete with color coding… but I won’t bore you with that.
It should come as no surprise that food is always a major component of any vacation. Rather than focusing on specific restaurants, I usually make a list of local dishes I want to experience. For many destinations, it’s easy to identify what those “must eat” dishes are. Traveling to Bologna? Find the best Bolognese sauce. Going to Paris? You better have a croissant. But what about Belgium? Until a few weeks ago, all I could tell you was that frites, mussels, waffles, and chocolate were in my future. But after spending several days there, this list was most certainly incomplete. Belgian cuisine is so much more.
Note: For each dish, I’ve provided at least one recipe. I haven’t tested them, but I reviewed each one and feel comfortable recommending them.
Boulets à la Liègeoise
Belgium is officially made up of three regions: Flanders, Wallonia, and Brussels-Capital. We were fortunate to spend some time in each one. Our first stop was in Wallonia where the official language is French. Unbeknownst to me, meatballs are a big deal there. Now if you were in search of meatballs in France, you would look for the French term boulette on the menu. However in Wallonia, you will find a different word - boulet. The literal translation of this term is cannonball. Had I known this, I wouldn’t have wondered why you only get two or three per order!
Up until about 40 years ago, boulets à la Liègeoise was typically just roasted meatballs served without any sauce. Some restaurants would pair them with tomato sauce. What happened next is likely a bit of serendipity. Back in the 1950s, rabbit with prune sauce, lapin aux pruneaux, became a popular dish throughout Belgium. Over time it faded from the limelight. As is the case with many classics, the dish experienced a comeback in the late 1980s. Food historians speculate that when people made that dish and had leftover sauce, referred to as rabbit sauce or sauce lapin, they paired it with boulets to use it up. Voilà - boulets sauce lapin à Liègeoise was born!
Once the dish became a restaurant staple throughout the Liège province, the name was (thankfully) shortened. Nowadays one can simply order boulets à la Liègeoise to experience that tasty rabbit sauce. (For anyone put off by the name, rabbit sauce doesn’t contain any rabbit. It’s main ingredients are vinegar and Liegeoise syrup, which is made from apples and/or pears.)
Recipe note: I came across some solid Belgian recipes for this dish, but each one called for Liegeoise syrup. I’m not sure where to source this, but it appears that apple butter is a respectable substitution.
Waterzooi
For the Flanders portion of our trip, we made our way to Ghent. One of our first stops when we arrived was the Museum of Industry. Here, we learned all about what put Ghent on the map - textiles. In the Middle Ages, it was all about wool. By the 19th century, numerous mills were spinning cotton. What made the textile industry possible is that Ghent is a port town located on the confluence of two rivers, the Scheldt and the Lys.
Both of these rivers are home to Belgian perch, as well as carp and pike. Prior to industrialization, people fished the rivers and canals. At home, the fish was used to make waterzooi, a stew that also includes broth, egg yolk, cream, leeks, and carrots. However the arrival of textile factories altered this recipe’s future. The rivers became polluted, decimating the fish population. As a result, people began to substitute chicken for fish. Although restaurants do offer the classic fish version, it’s highly unlikely that the fish will be sourced from Ghent’s waterways. Regardless of which one you prefer, both versions are true comfort food.
Filet Américain
We also spent a few days in Brussels-Capital. We made our way to À la Mort Subite for lunch. This cafe is known for its tartines, which are open-faced sandwiches. As I perused the menu, I could translate most of the options but I had to look up filet Américain. As it turns out, this is a classic Brussels dish. Numerous sources say that Joseph Niels invented it back in 1924. He opened a restaurant in Brussels in 1926 where this became a mainstay.
So what is it? Filet Américain is essentially the Dutch answer to French steak tartare. I did some research to get the “official word” on what the differences are. After looking at a number of references, I couldn’t come up with anything definitive so I’m just going to tell you what I think after having experienced it for myself. The preparation of the beef is really what sets them apart.
Steak tartare is usually minced using a chef’s knife. It’s a fine mince, but there is still some texture. Filet Américain is put through a meat grinder until it reaches a creamy consistency. Because of this, the presentation is different. When I’ve had steak tartare, it has been artfully arranged using a ring mold, complete with an egg yolk on top. The texture of filet Américain doesn’t really lend itself to this and I’ve seen no evidence that the egg yolk is a common accompaniment. If steak tartare is white tablecloth and a glass of good red wine, filet Américain is patio table and golden Belgian brew.
Recipe note: I probably don’t need to tell you this, but since you’re dealing raw meat here, follow food safety guidelines as if Gordon Ramsay looking over your shoulder.
Stoverij / Carbonnade Flamande
While boulets à la Liègeoise, waterzooi, and filet Américain are all signature dishes in their respective regions, Flemish stew is considered by many to be Belgium’s national dish. In Flanders the dish is called stoverij, while over in Wallonia you’ll look for carbonnade Flamande. No matter where you land, this hearty stew is made with these three ingredients: meat, onions, and dark Belgian beer. Given that the stew has been around since the 18th century and is found in every corner of the country, there are regional variations. In West Flanders for example, it’s more common to use pork rather than beef. Some people swear that carrots are an essential ingredient, while others would consider that blasphemy. One thing every Belgian will agree upon is that the beer is the key ingredient. For the richest, most decadent stew one should use a Belgian dark strong ale. Here in the US, look for Chimay Bleue, Westmalle Dubbel, or Kasteel Donker if you want to cook up a pot of your own.
Recipe note: As stated above, not just any dark beer!
Of Course I Had the Other Stuff!
Could a trip to Belgium be complete without frites, mussels, waffles, and chocolate? Of course not! I’m the person who believes that potatoes should be a food group after all. To be fully transparent, I ate frites 8 of the 9 days I spent in Belgium and there may have been a few days where I had them twice. Thank heavens for those 15,000 to 20,000 steps each day!
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