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Home , Balkenbrij, Dutch cuisine, Ontbijtkoek, Vlaai, Zeeuwse bolus

DUTCH COOKBOOK The secrets of Dutch regional

For Lotte Wolf A touch of Dutch

Text and Concept, Laura de Grave Photography, Hans de Kort Design, Martien Holtzappel Brandt, Amsterdam 2019 CONTENTS

Dutch cuisine 6 87 189 My journey 8 Zuurkool with Gelderse from Groninger soup from Abrahams Het Smaakpark 92 Mosterdmakerij 193 Shellfish 48 Biet- from Het Keunenhuis 96 Egg balls from De Piloersemaborg 197 Fish 126 Jagersstoof from Leendert Houweling 100 from Bakkerij Jager 203 186 Fruit and 224 103 De Wadden 205 Cherry jam from Twisted 106 Wadden kroket from Peek 210 11 Wild Wad from ‘t Ailand 216 Limburgse from de Bisschopsmolen 15 Noord- 111 Wild duck with cranberries from Zoervleis from Café Sjiek 20 Pigs cheeks from brasserie Carstens 115 De Heeren van Der Schelling 219 with Livar from squid from Pluijm’s Eetbare Wereld 121 Briny pesto from Flang in de pan 223 Kasteeltje Hattem 26 Alkmaar soup from De Heeren van Sonoy 123 Thanks 228 Noord-Brabant 31 Bibliography 230 Brabants worstenbrood from Houben 35 131 Addresses 236 Bossche bol from shop Jan de Groot 39 Wieden cocktail from De Lindenhof 136 Index 238 Bergse anchovies from De Bloemkool 44 Yoghurt and hangop from De Knapenvelder 142 Last page 240

Zeeland 47 Flevoland 147 from De Oesterij 57 Polder chicken from Boerkok 152 from Van Meijel 61 Urker koolmoes from De Boet 159 Razor clams from De Vluchthaven 65 161 Zuid-Holland 69 Drents heather lamb from Van Tarel 165 Goudse from Kniepertjes from ’t Bakkershoes 168 Siroopwafelbakkerij Van Vliet 73 with klapstuk from 173 Van der Zon butchers 76 Fryske dúmkes from Bakkerij Tromp 175 and from De Sophiahoeve 83 Wâldbeantsjestaart from LekkereTrek 179 Cockle from Albert Kooy 185

5 The is the second largest exporter of agri- cultural goods in the world.

It is often claimed that Dutch cuisine years in family up and down the country. While writing this book it dawned on me that I doesn’t really amount to anything much. The answer to that question has changed had a mission: to get you, the reader, to start KEEN TO KEEP I couldn’t disagree more. When you take considerably over those years, too. Whereas my shopping and eating local. In my humble opinion, a closer look you will see that the Nether- grandmother kept her own chickens, grew her all that whizzing of produce to-and-fro around IT LOCAL TOO? lands boasts an incredible range of culinary own fruit vegetables and shopped local for the world is simply not necessary. First of all, delights, both traditional and modern. everything else she needed, these days we can homegrown is tastier and fresher than the • Choose products that are in season and have choose from over 150,000 products from every stuff that has to cross several continents to get not been imported. Try growing your own Traditional Dutch cuisine corner of the world in our supermarkets. to your table. Juicy Dutch pears picked in the vegetables, fruit and herbs on your balcony The traditional cuisine of the Netherlands is closely autumn are undoubtedly better than the sour or in your garden. You will soon see how tied to the country’s history and has been shaped After the Second World War, the industrialisation specimens of pineapple that come all the way rewarding that can be. by its and agricultural practices as well as of society and the use of artificial fertilizers led to from Chili (and that are tasty there but not here). overseas trade, in particular the import of an astonishing rise in food production levels. • Buy from your local farmer, at the market from our former colonies. Most people associate Our local system quickly became a global one, Local produce is also much more sustainable, as it or in an organic supermarket. These are the the words ‘Dutch cuisine’ with well-known national with the result that we became more and more travels shorter distances and has a smaller carbon best ways to source local produce. Make a dishes like and snert. In this book you will detached from the sources of our food. To such footprint. When you choose to shop local you will habit of stopping when you come across a discover that the Netherlands also boasts many an extent, in fact, that today we often have no idea also close the gap between you and your food. farm advertising fresh products for sale. other, lesser-known regional dishes, each of which where the food we eat comes from. The stuff Knowing how something is produced helps you to has an intriguing story to tell. staring back at you from your plate could have make more sustainable choices. You will opt more • Order local seasonal products and travelled anywhere up to 30,000 kilometres to get often to buy organic products (that are in season) kits online. In the Netherlands you can order Modern Dutch cuisine to your table. Food for thought, to say the least. and will begin to see just how important the from Lindenhoff, Willem & Drees, Crisp or Today there is also a new movement known as concept of biodiversity really is. De Krat, for example. ‘Modern Dutch cuisine’. The country’s most cele- In the of my travels around the Nether- brated chefs, in particular, are making a great effort lands while researching this book, my mouth fell The recipes in this book use as much local • Check the country of origin of products to lift Dutch cuisine to the next level. In doing so open in sheer amazement on more than one produce as possible*. Some of the ingredients are in the supermarket. they are committed to using 80 per cent Dutch occasion when I saw just how much of our specific to certain regions, like for Drents heather products, 80 per cent vegetables, less meat and fish vegetables, fruit, fish, meat and cheese we export lamb or asparagus from Limburg. You can, of • Look in the deep-freeze and canned goods and all parts of the animal. The seasons also play abroad: often even more than 80 per cent! At the course, substitute these for lamb and asparagus sections as well for products that have not a crucial role when chefs are setting their menus, same time, we import enormous amounts of from your own area. been imported. while traditional recipes also provide a rich source products from other countries too, indeed often of inspiration for new and adventurous dishes. the very same produce as what we export *I hope you understand that it was impossible for • Buy a foraging guide and go plucking in ourselves. For example, Dutch regularly me to include all of the local products available in the the wild. Local food make the long trip to Africa, while our super- Netherlands in this book. For example, there are over ‘What’s for dinner?’ is probably the question that markets onions from as far away as 800 different cheesemakers in the country, and has been posed most often over the past sixty the New Zealand. although I like Dutch wine, and spirits too, there are simply too many different producers to include them all. That said, if there is a product that you feel In the Netherlands we have fabulous local products that is typical of your region and that deserves more can easily hold their own with the Italian ‘Denominazione attention, please let me know and I will share it on My motto is: local by choice, di Origine Protetta’ and the French ‘Appellation Contrôlée’. social media! import by necessity.

6 7 MY JOURNEY

I’ve always been a bit of an oddball. When restaurant world and to write about what I saw This cookbook is the result of what turned out So, fancy riding pillion as I take you on a culinary everyone else goes left, I invariably go there. Fortunately, my rather haphazard plan was to be a fantastic adventure. In addition to lots of trip around the Netherlands? Hop on! right. Sometimes I feel a bit like Pippi an instant success. I was asked to contribute to the information about food in the Netherlands, the Longstocking, but then with an electric Jamie Oliver magazine and to help write material book contains thirteen chapters dedicated to the motorbike instead of a horse. I tend to do for trainee chefs. By interviewing chefs across the country’s twelve provinces and the Wadden or things differently compared to most other entire culinary spectrum I ended up writing the Frisian Islands. Each chapter begins with an over- people. Even the first words I uttered as a textbook that I had always wanted to learn from view of the province’s exclusive local products* foodwriter.nl baby were different, to say the least: not myself. and traditional dishes. At the back of the book Mommy and Daddy but ice cream. you will find a list of addresses where all of these At the end of 2017 my Amsterdam Cookbook was products are available. Dutch cookbook I was born in Limburg to a Frisian father and a published in both Dutch and English. I had criss- Dutch cookbook mother from Drenthe and spent much of my youth crossed the city many times looking for authentic In each chapter I go into more detail on a number travelling up and down the country. After studying recipes and culinary tales for the book. It was such of dishes and recipes, picking from both the * In choosing the local products in this book I drew Journalism at Leiden University, I went to work as a success that it wasn’t long before photographer more traditional and the new Dutch cuisine, all of inspiration from the Slow Food products in the Ark van de Smaak, products with the official regional product a PR assistant at a publishing company in Amster- Hans de Kort and I were joking that it was high time which are made using as many local ingredients logo Erkend Streekproduct and the list of Dutch dam. It took me only six months to realise that we started working on a follow-up. At the time as possible. Thanks to the many trips I made to products protected under European law. My final I was sitting at the wrong end of the I was busy trying to secure my motor- visit farmers, fishermen and chefs, among others, choices were swayed by factors such as biodiversity telephone line. I wanted to be a writer cycle driving licence, so in all my I am able to offer the reader a quick peep into the and quantity. myself and write, in particular, about enthusiasm I said to Hans, ‘A book kitchens of the Netherlands. All captured for food. I promptly quit my job and embar- about Dutch cuisine, on a motor- posterity in the fabulous photos taken by Hans. ked on a career as a freelance journalist. bike!’ Amazingly, when I got around to hitting the road to research Given my lack of professional the book the Zero Motorcycles culinary experience, company agreed to lend me of I decided it would be a one of their electric machines, good idea to take a look which dovetailed perfectly behind the scenes in the with my plan to do everything as sustainably as possible.

9 LIMBURG Just south of the town of Weert, which serves as the gate to Limburg, the flat Dutch countryside changes into one of gently rolling green hills. This part of the country is well known for its culinary heritage. From the asparagus grown in the province’s sandy soil to the mushrooms cultivated in the deep caves of the south.

Regional dishes 1. Asparagus with Livar ham 2. Limburgse vlaai 3. Maastrichts zoervleis

Special local products 1. Green asparagus 2. Cave mushrooms 6 3. Kollenberger spelt Also sold as ‘Geuldal lamb’ 4. Limburgse grottenkaas 5. Limburgs kloostervarken 6. Limburgse Morello cherries Hervé cheese (also known as 7. Limburgse ‘rommedoe’ in and around Maastricht) used to be made both 1 8. Mergelland mutton in South Limburg and in . These days all of the cheese is 9. Rommedoe made by our neighbours to the 10. White asparagus south, but the Limburgers are still very proud of it. 5 10 Traditional dishes From 11 April to 24 June (Sint-Jan) the roads 1. Knien in’t zoer leading to and from the A2 are always jammed with asparagus lovers. 2. Krombroodjes 2 Each year, tradition demands that 3. Maastrichtse during Halfvasten the bakers of 4 kalfspastei Sittard throw 150,000 kromme broodjes off the Hill of Kollenberg 4. Nonnevotten where they are gathered up again by local children. 2 3 9 4 1 1 3 3 A deep-fried sweet roll in the shape of a dickie bow. Eaten 2 7 from November 11 until carnival season starts in Limburg. 8

LIMBURG 11 DE BISSCHOPSMOLEN - STENENBRUG 3 - MAASTRICHT

LIMBURGSE VLAAI

If there is one place you should go to Mister Spelt try a real Limburgse vlaai, it is the Frank is known in Limburg as Mister Spelt. When Bisschopsmolen in the centre of many bakers began sourcing their grain further Maastricht. With the sound of the water afield across the Netherlands around twenty from the River Jeker rushing through years ago, Frank was the first baker in the the oldest working water mill in the country to use this ancient type of grain as the Netherlands roaring in the background, basic ingredient in his creations. Kollenberger Frank van Eerd busies himself in the spelt, which he uses to make his vlaai, is grown by bakery making incredibly delicious spelt local farmers on the hill of Kollenberg. ‘Everyone tarts using primarily local ingredients. knows that hill,’ he explains. ‘It’s where they shot the famous Dutch movie Flodder!' History The vlaai has a long and rich history. As far back as Cherry vlaai the , the local population of the area The cherry vlaai from De Bisschopsmolen uses where Germany, Flanders and Limburg now meet a relatively simple list of ingredients. The base were known to bake flat tarts in a so-called consists of a yeast made using spelt flour, ‘vlaayenpan’. The tarts were baked in a pan over while the filling uses cherries from Limburg, an open fire with glowing coals piled on top of including the juice, and Dutch beet . After the lid so that the tart would be baked both from the dough and the cherry filling have been added above and below. Down through the centuries, to a modern version of the vlaai baking tin, the different variations emerged using fruit or even strips of dough are added in criss-cross style to and topped with latticework or some other the top, something they have been doing around kind of pastry ‘lid’. ‘Limburg lies at the heart of here for centuries. After being glazed with egg Europe,’ says baker Frank. ‘That's why you find all and sprinkled with sugar, the vlaai is then baked in kinds of cultural influences in theLimburgse vlaai. the oven. The size of the slices differs per region For example, grain and cherries were brought in the country. ‘You can tell by the way they cut here by the Romans, while apricots and rice a vlaai which part of the Netherlands a person arrived courtesy of the Spanish during the Eighty comes from. In they cut twelve Years’ War.’ slices, in Brabant ten and in Limburg eight,’ laughs Frank.

12 LIMBURG LIMBURGSE VLAAI FROM THE BISSCHOPSMOLEN

1. Start the evening before. Deseed the 5. Using a rolling pin, roll out the dough cherries and retain the juice. Set the for the base on a worktop sprinkled cherries aside. Dilute the cherry juice with flour until it is round and slightly with water up to 375 ml. Transfer to a larger than the base of the tin. small saucepan and bring to the boil. Grease the sides of the tin with butter. Add 150 g sugar and stir well. Add the Using the base of the cake tin, draw a cornflour to a cup with 4 tablespoons circle on a piece of baking paper, cut it Pastry of water. Stir with a fork until you have a out with a pair of scissors and place it Serves 8 smooth paste. on top of the base. 45 mins + 12 hours + 50 mins 2. Add the cornflour mixture to the 6. Spread the dough evenly over the waiting time sugar water, stirring continuously with base by lifting it and pressing it down + 15-20 mins in the a whisk until it has thickened. Continue with your thumb as you go along. Press oven to stir while you bring the mix to the the edges firmly down too. Cut away boil and then leave to simmer gently for any excess dough around the edges. Ingredients 1 minute. Stir in the cherries and remo- Stir the cherry filling (add a little water • 750 g fresh cherries ve from the heat. Transfer to a bowl and if you think it is too thick) and spread it • 190 g sugar leave in the fridge for at least 12 hours. over the base. • 30 g cornflour • 250 g spelt flour, plus 3. Add the flour, yeast, butter, 20 g su- 7. Roll out the dough for the top of the extra for sprinkling gar, 1 egg and the to the bowl of a tart until it is 3 mm thick. Cut the dough • 5 g dried yeast mixer. Mix for 4 minutes using a dough into 3 cm strips. Weave the strips under • 50 g unsalted butter, hook at the lowest speed until you have and over on top of the filling to create plus extra for greasing a nice, consistent dough. Add the salt, a and press down at the edges. • 2 free range eggs turn the speed up a notch to 2 and mix Cut off any excess dough. Beat the • 100 ml milk for another 2 minutes. second egg together with 2 tbsp water • ½ tsp salt in a bowl. Use to glaze the lattice. 4. Set aside 150 g of dough for the Sprinkle the vlaai with the rest of the You will also need: lattice top. Roll the rest of the dough sugar and leave to rise for another • mixer with dough into a ball for the base. Cover both balls 30 minutes. hook of dough with a wet towel, set aside • wet tea towel in a warm spot and leave to rise for 20 8. Preheat the oven to 200 °C. Bake the • rolling pin minutes. vlaai in the middle of the oven for 15-20 • cake tin with minutes until golden brown. Remove removable base the vlaai immediately from the tin using (Ø 30 cm) a cake knife. • baking paper

LIMBURG 15 PUUR VANDEWALL - DORPSSTRAAT 140 - ECKELRADE LIMBURGSE STROOP ‘Mind your head!’ The old historical farm- of waste product, but that waste is put to good use, houses in the village of Eckelrade in too. ‘I give the pressed fruit to my neighbour, who Zuid-Limburg make it look almost like time uses it to feed his cows,’ he explains. has stood still here for generations. And the building where the Vandewall family Reducing makes its stroop (syrup) is no exception. He boils the juices in the kettle in three stages, The door is so low that I almost have to adding another bucket of juice every ten minutes or limbo dance my way inside. I am met by so. ‘If you pour in all the juice at once, you will lose Magiel Vandewall, who is standing between some of the aroma,’ Magiel tells me. While the two copper kettles as big as a pair of hot deliciously smelling sweet and sour vapours are tubs. ‘The people around here must have sucked away by a gigantic ventilation hood, the been pretty short back in the day,’ says juices continue to boil and reduce. The colour Magiel as I straighten myself up again. changes gradually from light brown to ochre to almost red. Three hours later the syrup rises in a Age-old tradition flurry of bubbles, just like when you boil milk. Since as far back as the Middle Ages, people have been making their own stroop from fresh fruit here in Tasting the region that covers Zuid-Limburg, Rijnland in Magiel sticks a silver-coloured spoon into the syrup. Germany and the Voerstreek in Belgium. Around 1600, Whereas only one hour previously it had the con- the profession of loonstoker arose and they started sistency of water, now it drips off the spoon in thick making stroop for sale to the local population. Many of drops. He starts filling the syrup jars by hand. When these traders were forced to close their busines- he offers me a taste I experience the rich, soft and ses, however, when industrial manufacturers began to refreshing flavour of reduced fruit; as if one hund- make rinse stroop (syrup made from sugar beet) in the red and pears have been condensed into one 19th century. Today, Magiel runs the last-surviving small spoonful. ‘It’s delicious on bread and family firm in Limburg that makesstroop in the or as part of a cheeseboard, and goes great with lots autumn and winter using fruit from its own orchards. of dishes here in Limburg, like k’nien in het zoer and zoervleis. And I never need to buy Italian balsamic Boiling and pressing to a pulp either; I just add a little water to the syrup to The day before my arrival, Magiel has spent three and make my own!’ laughs Magiel. a half hours boiling 1000 kg of apples and pears down to a pulp under a cloth in one of the hot tubs. Now – Varieties at nine o’clock in the morning – it looks like he is in Magiel makes four different kinds ofLimburgse the middle of a of Jenga as he uses wooden stroop: sweet syrup containing 80 per cent pear and blocks to build a tower in which the fruit is slowly 20 per cent ; a more bitter variety containing 60 pressed through linen cloths. ‘Look!’ Magiel says, per cent pear and 40 per cent apple; a quince syrup; holding a pear between his fingers that has been and a sour apple syrup containing 75 per cent apple flattened from a three-dimensional piece of fruit into and 25 per cent sugar beet. The latter is completely a thin, almost two-dimensional sliver of skin. Out of different from factory-made apple syrup, which con- the 1000 kg of fruit he retains only one wheelbarrow tains 25 per cent apple and 75 per cent sugar beet.

16 LIMBURG CAFÉ SJIEK - SINT PIETERSSTRAAT 13 - MAASTRICHT

MAASTRICHTS ZOERVLEIS

Café Sjiek is located just beyond the Simpler recipe old city gates of Maastricht, one street In the at Café Sjiek, they have made down from De Bisschopsmolen. In true considerable changes to the recipe for their most Trojan Horse style, this little café has popular dish down through the years. Whereas been stealing the hearts of the citizens of years ago the chefs had to stand for hours on Maastricht for over thirty-five years. Its end stirring huge pots of over a roasting popularity can be attributed in no small hot fire, these days they put the meat with all the part to a single dish, one you simply have ingredients in the oven and cook it overnight at a to try at least once in your life: zoervleis low temperature, which makes the meat unbe- (literally sour meat), a horsemeat stew lievably juicy and tender. ‘It’s easier that way. And made using Limburgse stroop. tastier too,’ according to one of the chefs.

Born out of necessity Perfect at carnival time ‘There are lots of different stories about where Robin serves the stew in mini Creuset pots zoervleis comes from. But everyone agrees that at long tables where everyone can sit and eat it has its origins in poverty,’ explains café owner without having to make a reservation. Delicious Robin Berben, after greeting me by kissing my with homemade thick-cut fries, lashings of ma- hand. People began to eat horsemeat in Maas- yonnaise and homemade apple – it doesn’t tricht around the end of the 19th century. ‘They get more Dutch than this. ‘Dip a fry first in the used the tougher parts to make zoervleis after and then in the zoervleis,’ explains first marinating the meat in vinegar to make it Robin. ‘The perfect combination of sweet, sour more tender.’ Despite the name, the dish isn’t and salty. And even better when you’ve had one really sour at all, thanks to the syrup, too many to drink at carnival time!’ and sugar.

LIMBURG 19