It's recipe time! Prepare this tempting Belgian waterzooi garden bowl
Belgian waterzooi, traditionally a rich stew, is reimagined here as a vegetarian garden bowl. This version forgoes its usual fish or chicken base in favor of plant-based ingredients while preserving the classic's creamy essence. With roots in Belgium, the dish offers a comforting taste adapted for a vegetarian diet. Ready to cook? Let's bring the warmth of Belgium to your table.
Gather the following ingredients
To prepare this dish, you will need two large leeks, one diced onion, three diced carrots, two diced celery stalks, four medium potatoes cubed, one cup of sliced mushrooms, four cups of vegetable broth, one cup of heavy cream substitute (such as coconut cream), two tablespoons of olive oil, one teaspoon of thyme leaves, and salt and pepper to taste.
Prepare the vegetables
Begin by thoroughly cleaning all your vegetables. Slice the leeks into half-moon shapes, ensuring you've removed the green tops and roots. Finely chop the onion. Peel the carrots and dice them into small, bite-sized chunks. Cut the celery stalks into similar-sized pieces. Lastly, cube the potatoes, making sure each piece is of a similar size to promote even cooking throughout.
Saute aromatics
Begin by heating olive oil in a large pot over a medium flame. Add the diced onions and leeks, stirring them occasionally to ensure they don't stick to the pot's bottom. The goal is for these ingredients to become translucent, signaling they are well-sauteed. This should take about five minutes and is essential for building the dish's foundational flavors.
Add vegetables and broth
To your sauteed aromatics, add carrots, celery stalks, potatoe, and mushrooms giving everything a good stir to mix well with onions and leeks. Pour in four cups of vegetable broth ensuring that all vegetables are submerged. Bring it to a boil then reduce heat allowing it to simmer until vegetables are tender which typically takes about 20 minutes.
Final touches
Once vegetables are tender, add thyme leaves along with salt and pepper according to your taste preference. Stir well before pouring in your choice of heavy cream substitute such as coconut cream for that creamy texture without dairy products involved. Allow it all to cook together on low heat for another 10 minutes before serving warm in bowls.
