Today, national cuisines of different countries are of interest not only to professional chefs, but also to lovers of delicious and unusual dishes. In the traditions of different nations, you can find many recipes that are easy to repeat with your own hands. Dishes of Dutch cuisine in this regard are very advantageous for many exotic dishes, because all the necessary products can be found in domestic supermarkets and markets. Our article will tell you about the culinary traditions of the Netherlands, the most popular dishes, classic recipes and products.
Today, the inhabitants of Holland prefer light and simple dishes, the preparation of which does not need to be spent considerable effort. At the same time, national dishes have sufficient, but not excessive calorie content.
To get the most complete picture of the cuisine of this country, we will try to cook some simple dishes: first, second and dessert. And to emphasize the national flavor will help the traditional drink, beloved by the Dutch for centuries - beer. Be sure to bring it to the table if you plan to have a Dutch-style dinner or lunch.
History of the Middle Ages
Culinary historians believe that in the old days, Dutch cuisine was more diverse than in modern times. Affected geographical position. The generous sea gave a rich catch, and a mild climate and good soil created all the conditions for the development of agriculture and animal husbandry.
There is evidence that the Dutch began to prepare a variety of dishes from milk for a long time. Cheeses, which this country is famous in our time, were prepared by locals in the early Middle Ages. Moreover, not only wealthy citizens, but also ordinary rural people could afford this delicacy.
In the old days, a variety of stews were common, which were prepared on the basis of milk, vegetable, meat and fish broths, cereal broths.
Seafood was present in significant quantities in the diet of the inhabitants: fish, oysters, crayfish, shrimp, mollusks. Pickled and salted herring was and remains one of the most beloved dishes of the Dutch.
As today, traditional for the Dutch national cuisine was the predominance of vegetables over the meat portion. Residents of Holland grew beets, cabbage, carrots, beans. It was customary to serve wheat or rye bread to the table. And the unusual name "liquid bread" was called beer. In those days, both adults and children drank it, because the strength of the drink was relatively small, and it was prepared from the best products.
In 1514, the first of the most famous Dutch cookbooks was released.
The impact of maritime development
The expansion of trade has had a huge impact on the national cuisines of many European countries. A variety of wines, nuts, sweets, coffee, tea, exotic fruits appeared in the Dutch diet. In the diet of the inhabitants of Holland, game was abundant. Recipes for desserts began to be very widespread and popular: waffles, pancakes, puff pastries, which tastes and looks like our pancakes (this dish is shown in the next photo).
Potato spread
In the 17th century, this vegetable came to Holland from Spain, into which it was imported from Peru. Potatoes quickly spread and took an important place in the diet of the inhabitants of this country. He was served at the table for lunch in a cooked form, and the rest of the food was mashed and left for dinner. Potato dishes are popular in the Netherlands today. An example is patat, the Dutch version of french fries and our fried potatoes.
This is not to say that with the advent of potatoes, Dutch cuisine has acquired many recipes. Most often, the root crop was boiled, peeled or peeled, and served as a side dish to the fish. This is happening today.
"School of economics"
Many traditional Dutch dishes, common in the old days, lost their former popularity in the early twentieth century. In those days, the table of the poor was poor, and the rich could afford many excesses. In those days, the issue of rational nutrition was seriously raised for the first time in society. A network of so-called home economics schools was organized in the state, in which young housewives and cooks from wealthy homes were taught to cook healthy and simple food. At the same time, the taste and variety of dishes was assigned a secondary role.
In those days, traditions were formed that are typical for Dutch cuisine today. Most dishes are characterized by moderate use of spices, laconic design, and the use of simple ingredients. At the same time, the Dutch holiday menu may include unusual dishes, the taste of which combines different shades. Examples include berry and ginger sauces for meat, honey marinade for fish, spicy and salty licorice candies.
Main products
Where to start for someone who has decided to learn some simple recipes for Dutch cuisine? Of course, from acquaintance with the main products.
In antiquity, most often herring turned out to be on the tables of ordinary people, today the Dutch in abundance also use cod, mackerel, and salmon.
Cheeses are adored in this country: these are Gouda, Maasdam, Edamer.
An important place is given to sweets. Do you want to emphasize the mood of the feast? Serve hot chocolate or tea Montpensier, caramel syrup wafers, speculos figured cookies , peanut butter. The last component, by the way, is added not only to desserts, but also to salted sauces and gravy.
It is impossible to imagine a Dutch feast without meat and smoked meats. Croquettes are a very popular dish - small buns deep-fried, the filling of which can be prepared from beef, pork or poultry. You can buy this treat almost everywhere.
Do not forget about cereals and vegetables. Today in the Netherlands, a huge number of crops are grown. The Dutch are valued and delicious bread.
As you can see, most products are easy to find on sale. And what to cook from them, we will consider in the following sections.
Dutch celery soup
Cooking this traditional first course will take quite a while. Grate a 100-gram slice of celery root and finely chop a small onion. Fry vegetables in butter. Add a tablespoon of flour, mix, salt.
Pour in half a liter of meat broth, bring to a boil. Beat the raw yolk, 50 ml of sour cream and a few drops of lemon juice before serving. When serving, pour this sauce into celery soup and garnish with chopped herbs. It is permissible to add boiled fish or meat to this dish.
Traditional main course - stewed cabbage with sausage
The history of this dish is rooted in hoary antiquity. Similar recipes are found in many cuisines of the world: in German, Danish, Polish, Russian. In the Netherlands, it is customary to cook shredded cabbage with smoked sausage.
For dishes, you can use Brussels sprouts or white cabbage (fresh or pickled). Often, Dutch housewives use a mixture of different types of cabbage, adding a small amount of kohlrabi to the dish.
In a small amount of water, put out a piece of finely chopped lard. Add 0.5 kg of cabbage and simmer under the lid for 20 minutes, adding 5-7 juniper berries and a couple of peppercorns.
Sausage is added to the stewpan at the very end. You can cut it into thin strips or large portioned pieces. To make the dish saturated with aromas, let it stand for a while under the lid before serving. Usually this treat is served with mashed potatoes seasoned with nutmeg.
Caramel Dessert
You can taste this delicacy in any cafe in the Netherlands. But many housewives prefer to cook waffle treats at home.
Pour a glass of sugar into a bowl, add 1/3 liter. dry yeast and mix. Pour in 150 g of cold milk and add the zest and juice of one lemon. Chop 150 g of butter and add in portions to the dough.
Before starting to cook Dutch caramel cookies, keep the dough in the refrigerator for 5 hours.
Roll the formation, cut a glass of circles and roll them in brown sugar. When melted, it will provide a caramel flavor. Bake cookies in a preheated oven for a quarter of an hour.