Potjevleesch — Belgium

Potjevleesch, whose name literally means meat in a small pot, is a cold dish built from several kinds of meat set together in a savoury, lightly vinegared jelly. The pieces of poultry, rabbit, pork and veal are cooked separately, then packed into a terrine or pot and left to set as the stock cools and turns to jelly. The dish is reported from the Westhoek and the wider Flemish-speaking border area between France and Belgium, with the Dunkirk region frequently mentioned as a place of origin, though sources do not agree on exactly where or when it first appeared. It remains a fixture of Flemish charcuterie counters and family tables on both sides of the border. To prepare it, the four meats are braised or poached separately in a broth seasoned with bay, thyme, juniper and vinegar, then boned and layered into a terrine. The strained cooking liquid, sharpened with more vinegar, is poured over the meat and left to chill for at least a day until it sets into a firm, slightly tangy jelly that can be sliced. It is usually served cold, straight from the terrine, cut into slices that show the different meats and the clear jelly around them. The classic accompaniment is a plate of hot fries, whose warmth softens the jelly on contact, though some households prefer pommes dunkerquoises — potatoes parboiled then finished in deep fat — alongside it instead.