The top culinary specialty from Mechelen is Mechelen Coucou, or Mechelse koekoek. This poultry has firm meat and is a crossbreed of the cuckoo-coloured domestic chicken and the Asian chicken.

Mechelse koekoek is deliciously tender, particularly tasty in numerous dishes, and ideal for eating with a refreshing glass of Gouden Carolus. Bon appetit!

Why not try this delicious recipe yourself?

Recipe for Mechelse koekoek:

Ingredients for 3 to 4 people:

1 Mechelse koekoek

30 grams butter

25 cocktail onions

1 bundle of asparagus

¼ litre of cream

1 egg yolk Juice of 1 lemon

25 grams parsley

chicken spices

salt and pepper

Instructions:

Melt the butter, season the cavity of the chicken, lay it in a Dutch oven and fry until brown on all sides. Rinse the onions, add them to the chicken, and brown them. Place the lid on the Dutch oven and If braise until cooked for about 50 minutes. If necessary add a spoonful of water.

Peel and rinse the asparagus. Cut about 4 cm off the end of the stems and chop the rest of the stems into smaller bits. In the meantime, cook the bits of asparagus in salt water. Boil the tips separately until cooked. Remove the cooked chicken from the Dutch oven, add the cream to the juices in the pan and leave to reduce.

Remove from the stove and add the egg yolk together with the lemon juice. Season the sauce, stir in the bits of asparagus, keeping the tips aside in a warm place. Cut the chicken into equal parts and arrange them together with the asparagus tips on a dish Cover only the chicken with the sauce, sprinkle chopped parsley over everything.

Serve with fried new potatoes or potato croquettes and enjoy it with a Gouden Carolus.