Hidden Belgium: Medieval meat dish

You sometimes come across the strange dish called potjevleesch in West Flanders close to the French border. Originally a medieval dish eaten in the Dunkirk region, the name means a “little pot of meat”.

The recipe can vary, but it is normally made with chicken, rabbit and veal preserved in jelly. Local people love it, served with a bowl of frites and a beer.

It used to be served at local festivals, but you can now find it in local restaurants or traditional butchers.

You can try it at the traditional Flemish café De Barbier out in the countryside near the Flemish border. Decorated with old wood panelling, beer signs and a set of old scales, it’s a friendly place to sit with the locals.