"We make the world's best fries!"

Belgium is known for many gourmet treats - chocolate, waffles and, of course, french fries. They can not be missing at Easter!

Ms. Leleu, good food is usually a big deal at Easter. What do you serve at Easter in Belgium? 

Heleen Leleu: "We don't have a special Easter recipe in Belgium. But a popular recipe that is also on the table at Easter in many families is 'Stoofvlees-Friet,' Flemish carbonade."  

Why exactly is this your favorite dish at Easter?  

Heleen Leleu: "In Belgium, Flemish carbonade is a very traditional dish and known in every kitchen. Every family has its own recipe, often passed down from grandparents to grandchildren."  

What makes it typical for your region? 

Heleen Leleu: "Of course, French fries are typically Belgian. We are the largest producer of potato products and are known for the best fries in the world. Flemish carbonade can be found in many restaurants in Belgium. Many say that the success of this dish depends on our beer culture. We often experiment with different types of beer - and with a recipe based on beef, you can experiment a lot."  

When did you first eat your favorite Easter dish?  

Heleen Leleu: "We've been eating the dish since we were little. Every family has a different recipe, it never gets boring when you're invited to friends' houses. The basic recipe is always the same, but there are different flavors, for example, because of the beer in the sauce."  

Which ingredients are transported by DACHSER Belgium within the EFN?  

Heleen Leleu: "We carry the meat and fresh fries."  

How do you celebrate Easter? What are the special traditions in your country?  

Heleen Leleu: "As in many countries, chocolate Easter eggs are hidden in the home or garden and then searched for by children and also adults. Depending on the region, the children are told a different story: Either the Easter bunny hid the eggs or the bells of Rome dropped them from the sky. Also, some companies or organizations plan an Easter egg hunt in the city on a larger scale and the children can go there to look for them."  

Do you have a fun Easter experience to share?  

Heleen Leleu: "I am 34 years old and every year I still look for chocolate eggs that my parents hide in the garden for me and my siblings on Easter Day. Every year, my dad counts the total number of eggs hidden so we can find them all. However, with all the excitement, he often forgets them and then we don't know if we found all of them. When my parents are working in the garden in the spring or summer, a little surprise often pops up here and there."   

Heleen Leleu's favorite recipe to recreate for your Easter:  

Flemish carbonade with french fries  

Ingredients:
2 onions 
1 kg beef  
Salt 
1 ½ bottles of dark beer (in this recipe we used St. Bernardus Abt 12)
2 bay leaves
2 thyme sprigs 
1 clove  
1 slice of bread (dark) 
2 teaspoon mustard 
Vinegar 
Parsley  
4 pieces chicory 
2 spoons mayonnaise 
1 kg potatoes for French fries  

Preparation: 
Peel the onions and cut them into large pieces. Melt the butter, in a large pot. Then fry the onions over medium heat until translucent. Cut the beef into pieces of about 1cm, sear briefly in a large pan and season with salt and pepper. Be careful, too much meat in the pan will cause the meat to cook instead of fry due to moisture loss. Then add the pieces of meat to the pot with the onions. Sear again briefly and deglaze with room temperature beer. While the beer is brought to a boil, stir all the meat pieces. Add bay leaf, thyme, parsley and cloves to the pot. Spread a large slice of brown bread with a generous amount of mustard. Place the bread, mustard side down, on top of the meat in the pot and simmer the stew for one and a half to three hours on low heat without a lid. The cooking time will depend on the quality of the meat. Stir the pot from time to time and check in between to make sure the meat has cooked sufficiently. Only when the stew has reached the desired thickness, put the lid on the stew. At the end, refine the stew with a small splash of vinegar and stir everything. Taste and add more salt and pepper according to taste. 

Enclosure: Wash the chicory and drain well. Cut the chicory stalks in half and cut the tough heart out of the bottom. Then cut the stumps into very fine strips and put them in a bowl. Add some mayonnaise and season the salad with a dash of vinegar, pepper and salt. 

Homemade French Fries: Peel the potatoes and cut them into uniform fries. Do NOT wash the fries, because then you will rinse off the starch. In a saucepan, heat the fat to 140 °C. Fry the fries for the first time so that they do not color yet. Allow the fries to cool. Heat the fat again to 180 °C. Bake the fries a second time so that they are golden brown and crispy. Finally, refine with salt. 

The partners of the European Food Network offer a large range of services. Among other things, through temperature-controlled food logistics, groupage and part loads and value-added services, they ensure that the ingredients for your Easter dish are delivered safely and in time.  

Information about the logistics services within the network can be found here ›