Treading lightly

and a recipe for Flemish waterzooi, a wonderfully flavourful and light fish stew

“It's dark because you are trying too hard. Lightly child, lightly. Learn to do everything lightly.”

—Aldous Huxley, Island

It was only last year I heard the expression the “Sunday Scaries”—that in-the-pit-of-your-stomach knot that starts forming when the weekend ends and Monday rolls around.

You may know the feeling. It’s late on Sunday afternoon, and as the weekend winds down, a wave of anxiety hits. Thoughts of Monday meetings and upcoming tasks start to cloud your mind. It's a weird form of anticipatory anxiety, and I think most often fueled by a distinct lack of enthusiasm for the work that lies ahead.

Now usually the domain of the younger set, still I think this age-old phenomenon has insidiously crept up, down and sideways. And it’s not always about Monday. It can be the anticipatory dread of an impending event, moment…whatever feels like it’s distinctly out of your control.

Although I’m not usually prey to this emotion, on the last long weekend of the summer I think many of us are feeling that melancholic dread. It’s back to school and September traffic and cooler nights and shorter days and suddenly it’s Thanksgiving and Christmas decor is flooding the stores.

Phew.

Treading lightly

Yes, feel lightly even though you're feeling deeply. Just lightly let things happen and lightly cope with them… So throw away your baggage and go forward. There are quicksands all about you, sucking at your feet, trying to suck you down into fear and self-pity and despair. That’s why you must walk so lightly.

—Aldous Huxley, Island

Aldous Huxley is perhaps most famous for his dystopian novel Brave New World, but it is in Island that he offers a more thoughtful exploration of living, highlighting themes such as mindfulness, environmental sustainability, and a balanced approach to life.

And so. There’s a big fat bumblebee delicately working its way from my lavender and roses to the flowering oregano. The sun is high in this most perfect of early September days. The long weekend just past was filled with great friends, good food and much laughter; a spicy sail and a wonderful Air Show; a lazy swim on a holiday Monday morning and the pool all to ourselves.

Yes, there will be dark days and snow. The end of peaches. A sense that time continues on its hourglass journey and we can never shift the sifting of sand through our fingers. But there will be shepherd’s pie and apples and autumn leaves and the sun shining blindingly bright in a crisp December sky.

Tread lightly through the occasional dark days, the sense of anxious, the clock ticking. There is always sunshine ahead.

Flemish waterzooi

serves 4-6

On our recent holiday, we made a flying visit through Belgium, spending a few days exploring Brussels, Antwerp and Bruges. It was enough of a taste that we know we want to go back and explore more deeply.

One of the biggest standouts was the wonderful food we had everywhere. From an old-school lazy Saturday lunch at Au Vieux Saint Martin in Brussels and a splash-out five-hour lunch at The Jane in Antwerp, to a cosy dinner at Couvert, far from the tourist crowds in Bruges, every meal went beyond the expected moules-frites and waffles.

So, in anticipation of the hearty stews of winter, may I offer this transitional light yet satisfying recipe? Waterzooi is a traditional Flemish dish from Ghent that’s more than a soup, not quite a stew. Traditionally made with fish, it often features chicken too. I love the seafood version below. The fish cooks gently and quickly in a savoury vegetable-based broth, and the additional of egg yolk and cream at the end gives it richness without losing a light touch.

Note: If you can find Ballerina potatoes they’re ideal, and store well.

Ingredients

1 lb firm yellow-fleshed small to medium potatoes, such as fingerling, peeled and cut crosswise into ¼ inch slices (see Note)

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 medium onion, thinly sliced

2 leeks, white and light green parts only, rinsed, and thinly sliced

2 large carrots, cut in ¼ inch slices

2 celery stalks, cut in ¼ inch

3 cups fish or vegetable stock, more as needed

2 lbs skinless flounder, cod or other white fish

1 cup heavy cream

2 tablespoons cornstarch

1 large egg yolk

Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

1. Fill a medium pot with water, add a teaspoon of salt and bring it to a boil. Add the potatoes and let them bubble merrily until they are just fork tender, about 15 minutes. Start checking at 10 minutes. When done, drain and set aside

2. While the potatoes are cooking, in a large pot over medium heat, melt the butter. Cook the onion, leeks, carrots, and celery, stirring frequently, for about 7-10 minutes, until softened. Add enough broth to just cover the vegetables and bring to a brisk simmer.

3. Lower the heat slightly, add the fish and cook gently for about 7 to 10 minutes, until the fish is just cooked through. Transfer the fish to a plate.

4. In a small bowl, whisk the cream, cornstarch, and egg yolk. Bring the vegetable mixture to a simmer and add the cream mixture to the vegetables. Stir constantly until the cream mixture is incorporated and the broth has thickened slightly. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

5. Return the fish to the pot, add the potatoes and bring to a low simmer. Cook for 2 to 3 more minutes, until heated through.

6. Divide the soup among bowls and serve with good crusty bread.