Belgian

If you don’t have a Belgian waffle iron, use a regular one, but you probably won’t need as much batter.

Sweeter than scallions, subtler than onions, leeks are beloved in Belgium. This is the tale of a trip and the tart it inspired.

This classic yeasted recipe produces waffles that are wonderfully crisp outside, and creamy on the inside.

One of the easiest ways to use leftover sourdough starter is to make waffles. Crispy on the outside and light and fluffy in the middle, these cinnamon sugar waffles are incredible.

In winter, the section of our cupboard devoted to onions seems to grow exponentially, filled with all forms of eye-dripping lovelies: red and white onions, shallots, massive white-bulbed scallions. Grilling a sack of onions down to a cereal bowl of caramelized noodles is a rare fall pleasure. And few pillars of French cooking are as widely and voraciously loved as scalding hot onion soup cloaked in a blistering layer of melted Gruyère. But like with many epic dishes canonized by the cuisine of rural folk, vegetarians usually remain wholly uninvited. So how does one mitigate the beef stock in every single recipe of the gooiest of soups? Our "ah-ha moment" was beer. After trying small batches of all three colors of the proverbial tricolore (blue, white, and red) we settled on Chimay Blue, a dubbel style beer that's become a household name for boozers. This so-called grande réserve, or any other basic dubbel, is a super substitute for the essence of animal gore. The malts and sugars play on your tongue in a way that's strikingly similar to the flavor of liquefied fat and tendon.

Carbonades Flamandes This traditional Flemish recipe is perfect for the slow cooker. After hours over low heat, the meat becomes remarkably tender, the onions are sweetly caramelized, and the ale simmers down to a rich sauce. If you prefer a thicker stew, remove the lid for the last two hours of cooking. Serve this dish with a good Belgian beer. This recipe was originally part of a feature on slow cooking. For additional recipes and tips for using a slow cooker, click here.

Flavia Schepmans of New York, New York, writes: "One of many Belgian regional variations, this beef stew hails from my mother's natal city, Ghent." Our associate art director Flavia Schepmans's mother uses American-style beer in this recipe. If you want to try another beer, go for a Belgian ale — an imported pilsner might be too bitter.

In Belgium, steak-frites is practically one word. A steak without a mountain of Belgian fries and a pint of fresh beer is unthinkable. The two signature dishes of Belgium are moules-frites (mussels with fries) and steak-frites. My grandfather Charles, a butcher all his life, always said to choose meat that is marbled with tiny veins of fat. A perfect steak is small and plump with a thin layer of fat around the edges. A steak that is too lean and thin will have no flavor and will be dry. Look for meat that is labeled prime or choice.

There is no fancy skill involved in making these crispy fries, but there is a trick. The potatoes are fried twice. The first time cooks them through and makes them tender. The second time, which can be done hours later just before serving, turns them golden brown and deliciously crisp. You won't need a lot of special equipment, but a few items are essential. If you own an electric deep fryer, you're all set. If not, a 4-quart fryer with a basket insert and a separate deep-fat thermometer is your next choice. In a pinch, use a heavy pot that is at least 5 inches deep, a long-handled fried-food skimmer or very large long-handled slotted spoon, and a deep-fat thermometer. Keep in mind that the older the potato, the better it is for making fries. Never make fries with young potatoes as they have not had time to develop sufficient starch. The size of the fries is a very personal matter. Some people like them very thin and crunchy. Others prefer them quite large so that they can be crispy on the outside and soft in the center. Experiment to find the size you like best. Very thinly cut potato sticks need a shorter frying time, and the thicker ones take a little longer. Note: When frying anything in deep fat, always keep a lid close by. In case of fire, turn off the heat and cover the pan.

Serve garlic toast with this to mop up all the savory broth.

This hearty Belgian stew gets flavor from caramelized onions and dark beer.