Day 17 Belgium! Mussels, Belgian Fries& Braised Belgian Endives- Up Next Belize

Here's something I've come to know - working on the write-up after cooking a meal from a specific country is as exciting as the cooking and dining experience itself. Something about the process...settling down after the meal, collecting my thoughts, pulling the research together and adding pictures truly completes the creative process. Alors mes amis,  bien venue!

Belgium, (Brussels) (EU): Sandwiched between France and Holland along the North Sea, Belgium covers a strip of land almost 200 miles long and 100 miles wide. Its people divide into two distinct cultures -- the Flemish in the Northern half, and the Walloons in the Southern half. The languages spoken include French, Flemish, and German, though in tourist centers people speak English as well. The capital, Brussels, stands in the center of the land and ranks as an expanding and expensive international city.

Today Belgians proudly say their food is cooked with French finesse and served with German generosity.  Belgian endive, or chicory, has a place of honor in dining and a unique style of cultivation. This vegetable was accidentally discovered by a Belgian farmer, Jan Lammers, in 1830, when he returned from war and found his chicory (used for coffee and stored in the barn) had sprouted white leaves. He was captivated by its tangy, distinctive flavor. It was another 30 years before endive, known as witloof, became a successful crop. In 1872 it was introduced in Paris, to rave reviews, so popular it was called white gold.

Belgians also love the combination of mussels and Pomme Frites, what we call French Fries, but which, it turns out, were invented in Belgium NOT France. Eaten in combination, they comprise what some consider to be the Belgian National Dish. They are called "Freitok" and are doubled fried, which is essential if one wants to achieve the perfect, crisp on the outside, soft on the inside texture. I actually found a website devoted exclusively to Belgian Fries that was incredibly informative and whose recipe is listed here: http://www.belgianfries.com/bfblog/

Tonight's menu

• Braised Belgian Endive
• Mussels 
• Belgian Fries
• Homemade mayonnaise and salt - never catsup and never vinegar!

I got the (farm raised) mussels at my local Market Basket, which had just come in this morning from Canadian Cove, www.canadiancove.com, and I've got to say, they were excellent!

Soak mussels in salted water

Slice Russet potatoes and soak in cold water to remove starch, core endives and slice in half

 

Get ur tongs

and work in multiple screens to view all recipes - dag, this kitchen is hot as Hell

Cook mussels in garlic, shallots, white wine and parsley till they open

 Double fry potatoes - let them sit to "sweat" between fryings

Braise the endives

The Judges loved the meal, but against my protestations, broke out the Heinz

 

 Recipes

Pomme Frites

• Peel about 4 Russet potatoes. Cut them in slices 1 cm (3/8″) thick and finally cut them into fries of 1 cm square .
• Dry the fries well in paper or a towel before putting them into the oil. put them in cold water for a few minutes.
• this washes out much of the starch and tends to make them less sticky after the first frying and more crispy after the second.

• Heat the oil in a hot frying pan or deep fryer to a temperature of 160°C (320°F). 
• Put in a handfull of fries: not more at once because the oil will cool down too much. 
• Fry for a few minutes (4-8 depending on the thickness and the kind of potatoes), stir regularly to prevent sticking. 
• Drain fries on papertowels and let them cool down and ’sweat’ for at least 1/2 hour.

Finally heat to 190°C (375°F) and fry for 2 minutes until crispy and golden brown. This way the fries will be crispy on the outside and soft on the inside, the way they should be!

Serve with a little salt (no vinegar pleeeeease) and some mayonnaise.

Braised Belgian Endive
Makes 4 servings

8 whole heads of Belgian endive, cored
2 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon sugar

Slowly sauté the endive in butter in a shallow pan over a medium hot heat. Turn to cook both sides. Add the
other ingredients, cover the pan, and simmer on low for 25 minutes, adding a few drops of water if necessary.

Steamed Mussels
Makes 3 to 4 entree servings or 12 first-course servings.

3 quarts mussels in the shell (about 4 pounds)
3 garlic cloves, minced
6 shallots or green onions, chopped
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup dry white wine
1/3 cup minced parsley
Freshly ground black pepper
Melted butter

Soak the mussels for 30 minutes in salted water. Scrub the mussels well under cold running water with a stiff brush. In a large soup kettle, sauté the garlic and shallots in oil until soft, stirring. Add wine, parsley, and pepper, and bring to a boil. Add the mussels, cover, and simmer gently until the shells open, about 8 minutes; discard any that do not open. Spoon the mussels into soup bowls and ladle the broth over them. Pass the butter, if desired, for dipping the mussels.

Food and Wine Pairing

Wine goes with food. I know this sounds obvious, but not that long ago I got into a disagreement with a wine blogger about this very subject. Her point was that not all wine needs to be paired with food, some people enjoy wine without food. Well not me. If I want something to sip after dinner on it's own, I might choose a luxurious and sweet dessert wine such as Sauternes, Tokaji, Port or Madeira. As an aperitif I prefer something crisp and sparkling, Champagne perhaps. Or a cocktail.

There is a segment of the wine drinking public that has taken to drinking wine as if it were a cocktail. They want their wine big, bold, with little acid, plenty of tannin, and don't seem to mind if it's tremendously alcoholic (I mean over 14.5% alcohol). Again, not me. In Old World wine-producing countries there is a culture of drinking wine with meals. But in the New World that isn't always the way everyone is introduced to the pleasures of wine. So some people end up favoring wines that compete with sherry in terms of alcohol. Don't even get me started on the astronomical prices of some of these wines. By the bottle or the glass, I want wine I can actually afford to buy.

I remember once being told that in ballet the ballerina is the picture and her partner is the frame. I'd say the same thing is true about food and wine. Food is the picture, wine is the frame. A good frame can compliment a picture, but on it's own, it's just a frame. I used to attend a lot of wine tastings but I found I was comparing one wine to another and the wines I liked the best in tastings rarely impressed me as much when I tried them with food. So I stopped going to so many wine tastings. You might say I'm not sophisticated enough to appreciate wines on their own, but in my opinion, no wine can ever compete with the perfect pairing of food and wine.

While I don't entirely agree with experts and bloggers like Alder of Vinography who say that food and wine pairing is a scam, I do agree that "there are no right answers" and that ultimately you should drink what you like with whatever food you choose. I also believe there are pairings that are pure magic. Notice I said pairings, there is never just one good pair. The excellent guide book What to Drink with What You Eat shows many great pairs and is a constant source of inspiration for me, because finding those matches is something I strive for each and every time I open a bottle. For me the highest compliment I can pay a wine is that I find it "food friendly." But really, that is what every wine should be.