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Paling in 't groen is a Flemish specialty dish consisting of chopped eel in a unique green sauce made from white wine, parsley, spinach, mint, tarragon, sage, dill, and lemon juice. It is believed that the dish originated on the banks of the river Scheldt, when local fishermen started to catch large quantities of eel and combined them with whatever fresh herbs they found near the river.
The dish should be served hot, preferably with some fresh bread or fries on the side.
Bicky burger is a unique Belgian hamburger that is also popular in the Netherlands, consisting of a sesame seed-topped bun filled with a deep-fried patty made from a combination of pork, chicken, and horse meat. The hamburger is additionally filled with pickles, fried onions, ketchup, hot sauce, and a special dressing consisting of cucumbers, onions, cabbage, cauliflower, and mustard.
The first Bicky was made by a Dutch company named Beckers in 1981, and although the company is Dutch, no one knows why they have decided to target the Belgian market in the first place. In 2019, an advertisement for Bicky burger caused an uproar on social media because it shows a man hitting a woman for bringing him a 'fake' Bicky.
OTHER VARIATIONS OF Burger
MOST ICONIC Bicky Burger
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Couque de Dinant are traditional Belgian cookies, famous for their extra-hard texture, so much that they are traditionally given to babies to suck on while they are teething. Their tooth-cracking texture is achieved by baking the cookies at extremely high temperatures (300 °C).
These sweet biscuits consist of only two ingredients - wheat flour and honey in equal amounts. The honey caramelizes and hardens as the biscuits cool down, so it is not recommended to bite into them - they should be broken into pieces and allowed to melt in the mouth.
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This unique, skinless, deep-fried sausage is a popular snack that is mostly consumed in Belgium and the Netherlands. There has been a long dispute whether frikandel is originally Belgian or Dutch, and although the exact origin of frikandel is unknown, it is certain that the dish first appeared in the 1950s.
The original frikandel sausage consisted of a variety of meat, most commonly pork, chicken, and horse meat. However, since eating horse meat is sometimes regarded as taboo these days, most producers eliminated it from their recipes. Traditionally, it is served plain, with a dollop of mayonnaise on the side.
This sweet brioche-like bread is prepared with a yeasted dough that is often enriched with raisins, chocolate chips, and occasionally comes topped with pearl sugar. The usual shape of the bread is reminiscent of a swaddled baby, hence its alternative name – the bread of Jesus.
Cougnou is believed to have originated in Hainaut and is mainly associated with Christmastime when it is often given to children and served with a cup of hot chocolate on the side. Nowadays, it is mainly found in Belgium and some parts of northern France.
OTHER VARIATIONS OF Brioche
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Vitoulet is a Belgian meatball that is typically made with a combination of ground pork, ground veal, bread, milk, eggs, shallots, and parsley. The meat mixture is usually seasoned with salt, pepper, and nutmeg, and it is then shaped into balls which are fried on melted butter until nicely colored and crispy on all sides.
Another version calls for making slightly elongated meatballs with a combination of ground veal or veal and pork, egg yolks, milk-soaked bread, parsley, salt, and pepper. For that version, the meatballs need to be rolled in breadcrumbs before being fried in browned butter.
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One of the most famous Belgian desserts, this sweet and spicy, tart-shaped filled pastry is prepared exclusively in the Flemish town of Lier. The delectable Liers vlaaike consists of thin, pâté brisée crust filled with a thick, creamy purée—the base is a typical, unsweetened shortbread pie crust, while the aromatic filling consists of coarse breadcrumbs, candy syrup, milk, and flour.
However, the spicy flavor of vlaaike tarts comes from a secret combination of spices including cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, and coriander. The original recipe is believed to be more than 300 years old, which makes Liers vlaaike one of the oldest baked goods from the province of Antwerp.
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Chicon au gratin is a classic Belgian dish consisting of braised endives that are rolled in ham slices, then covered with Gruyère cheese and white sauce. The dish is a true representative of comfort food and is especially popular during the cold winter months.
Traditionally, the dish is served with mashed potatoes on the side or baked as a casserole.
MOST ICONIC Chicon au gratin
Boudin blanc de Liège is a Belgian white sausage made from pork shoulder and belly, crumbled white bread, onions, cream, and milk. All of the ingredients are combined, stuffed in casings, and cooked in hot water, then left to cool and dry for a short period of time.
What distinguishes boudin blanc de Liège from other white puddings is a hint of marjoram, but it can be flavored with other ingredients such as bay leaves, carrots, or cloves.
Hailing from Liège, this traditional dessert combines whole pears and a sweet, cinnamon-flavored syrup that is made with brown sugar, water, and sirop de Liège—a product made from fresh fruits such as pears, apricots, apples, dates, and prunes.
The pears are slowly baked in the oven until they are thoroughly coated in the thick, almost caramelized syrup. The dish can be enjoyed warm or cold, and it can be accompanied by a scoop of vanilla ice cream or heavily-spiced speculaas cookies.
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