My brother-in-law's reaction? "It looks like you just opened the fridge and said, ‘Hmm, I've got a little of this and a little of that; why, let's just throw everything in a pot and see what we get'."

Although not exactly the feedback I was going for, he was absolutely right. This filling, one-pot meal made for centuries - especially in rural areas and during the wars - is made up of whatever is available. Hutsepot comes from the Dutch word hutsen which means to shake up, as you do the pot while the stew slowly cooks. But it sounds, appropriately enough, very similar to the English word hodgepodge (or hotchpotch), a mix or jumble of a variety of things.

So instead of being defensive about my adopted country's tradition of wonderfully uncomplicated farmer fare, I am in fact quite proud. These days, more and more people are going back to basics. Just look at Flemish chef Jeroen Meus' very popular show on channel Eén: Dagelijkse kost has more than 400,000 viewers daily; through his cooking demonstrations, Jeroen reminds us that cooking recipes from the past is easy, fun - and even delicious.

This does not, however, mean that we have to follow the old recipes verbatim. Hutsepot was traditionally made with the "leftovers" of the pig (ears, tail, cheeks, shoulders, etc), often prepared in melted lard. Jeroen's recipe, below, calls for a more modern-day version - using smoked sausage and butter.

As for which vegetables to add to your hutsepot, anything goes. Some add celery, leeks, turnips and cabbage. This version calls for Brussels sprouts and potatoes, to which I added carrots for some variety and colour. Those who carry over an aversion to sprouts from their childhood should really give them another go. In hutsepot, the little mini-cabbages lose their bitterness, even taking on a pleasant, dare I say sweet, and mild flavour.

Ingredients (for four people):
- 750g fresh Brussels sprouts, cut into quarters
- 800g starchy potatoes (bintje), cut into bite-sized pieces
- 3 onions, roughly chopped
- 3 carrots, cut into bite-sized pieces
- 1 or 2 smoked sausages (pre-cooked), sliced into pieces
- 6 dl chicken bouillon
- 4 sprigs fresh thyme
- 4 bay leaves
- Butter
- Nutmeg
- Pepper and salt

Preparation:
• Set a large pot over a medium fire and melt a good sized slab of butter
• Cook the onions in the melted butter until tender
• Add sprouts to the butter and onions
• Stirring regularly, add carrots and potatoes, thyme sprigs, bay leaves and sliced sausage
• Pour in the chicken bouillon until the ingredients are just covered
• Cover and let simmer, shaking the pot from time to time, for about 20 minutes or until all the vegetables are soft
• Season to taste with salt, pepper and a touch of nutmeg

This hearty winter dish is best served in a deep bowl with a dab of spicy mustard and a cold pint of Belgian lager.

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