Dutch cuisine. Dishes of Dutch cuisine

Today, national cuisines from different countries are interested not only in professional chefs, but also in 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 beneficial to 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 people of Holland prefer light and simple dishes, the preparation of which does not need to spend significant effort. At the same time, national dishes have sufficient, but not excessive calorie content.

To get the most complete idea of the cuisine of this country, try to prepare a few simple dishes: first, second and dessert. And to emphasize the national flavor will help a traditional drink, beloved by the Dutch from time immemorial - beer. Be sure to serve it to the table if you are going to have dinner or dinner in the Dutch style.

History of formation in the Middle Ages

Historians of cooking believe that in the old days, Dutch cuisine was more diverse than in modern times. Affected advantageous geographical position. The generous sea gave a rich catch, and a mild climate and good soil created all conditions for the development of agriculture and livestock.

There is evidence that the Dutch began to prepare a variety of foods from milk for a long time. Cheeses, which is famous in our time, this country, the local people were preparing in the early Middle Ages. And to afford this delicacy could not only prosperous townspeople, but also simple rural people.

In the old days, there were various soups that were cooked on the basis of milk, vegetable, meat and fish broths, cereal broths.

In the diet of residents in significant quantities were seafood: fish, oysters, crawfish, shrimp, shellfish. One of the most favorite dishes of the Dutch was and remains marinated and salted herring.

As it is today, the traditional for Dutch national cuisine was the predominance of vegetables over the meat portion. The inhabitants of Holland grew beets, cabbage, carrots, beans. To the table it was customary to serve wheat or rye bread. And the unusual name "liquid bread" was used to refer to beer. In those days, it was drunk both adults and children, because the strength of the drink was relatively small, and prepared it from the best products.

In 1514, the first of the now famous Dutch culinary books was released.

Influence of development of navigation

The expansion of trade had a huge impact on the national cuisine of many European countries. In the diet of the Dutch appeared a variety of wines, nuts, sweets, coffee, tea, exotic fruits. In the diet of the inhabitants of Holland, game was abundant. The wide distribution and popularity began to receive recipes for desserts: wafers, pancakes, puffer - baking, in taste and kind resembling our fritters (this dish is presented in the following photo).

Distribution of potatoes

из Испании, в которую был завезен из Перу. In Holland, this vegetable came in the XVII century from Spain, which was imported from Peru. Potatoes quickly spread and took an important place in the diet of the inhabitants of this country. He was served to the table for dinner in boiled form, and the remainder of the meal was scraped and left for dinner. Dishes from potatoes are popular in Holland today. As an example, you can mention patat - the Dutch version of French fries and our fried potatoes.

It can not be said that with the advent of potatoes, Dutch cuisine has acquired many recipes. Most often, the root vegetables were cooked, peeled or peeled and served as a garnish to the fish. This is how it is today.

"Home Economics School"

Many traditional dishes of Dutch cuisine, common in the old days, lost their former popularity in the early twentieth century. In those days, the poor people's table was meager, and the rich could afford a lot of excesses. In those days in society for the first time seriously raised the issue of rational nutrition. In the state, a network of so-called home economics schools was organized in which young housewives and cooks from rich houses were taught to cook useful and simple food. At the same time, the taste and variety of dishes were given a secondary role.

In those days, traditions were formed, which are typical for Dutch cuisine today. Most dishes are characterized by moderate use of spices, laconic design, the use of simple components. At the same time the festive menu of the Dutch can include unusual dishes, in the taste of which different shades are combined. As an example, you can bring berry and ginger sauces to meat, honey marinade for fish, sharp and salted licorice candies.

Main products

Where to start with someone who has decided to master a few simple recipes for Dutch cuisine? Of course, with an introduction to the main products.

In antiquity, most often on the tables of the common people turned out to be herring, today the Dutch in abundance use also cod, mackerel, salmon.

In this country, cheeses adore: it is gouda, maasedam, edamer.

An important place is given to sweets. Do you want to emphasize the mood of the feast? Serve with hot chocolate or tea, pancakes, caramel syrup wafers, curly speckles, peanut butter. The latter component, by the way, is added not only to desserts, but also to salty sauces and gravies.

It is impossible to imagine the Dutch feast without meat and smoked meat. A very popular dish is croquettes - small buns, fried in deep fry, 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 grow a huge number of crops. Appreciate the Dutch and delicious bread.

As you can see, most products are easy to find on sale. And what of them to prepare, we will consider in the following sections.

Dutch soup with celery

Preparation of this traditional first course will take very little time. Rub on a grater a 100-gram slice of celery root and finely chop a small onion. Fry the vegetables in butter. Add a tablespoon of flour, mix, salt.

Pour half a liter of meat broth, bring to a boil. Before serving, whip the raw yolk, 50 ml of sour cream and a few drops of lemon juice. When serving, pour into the soup with celery and dress it with chopped herbs. It is permissible to add boiled fish or meat to this dish.

The traditional second course is stewed cabbage with sausage

The history of this dish goes back to ancient times. Similar recipes are found in many cuisines of the world: in German, Danish, Polish, Russian. In Holland it is customary to cook chopped cabbage with smoked sausage.

For the dish, you can use Brussels or white cabbage (fresh or sauerkraut). Often the Dutch hostesses use a mixture of different types of cabbage, adding a small amount of kohlrabi to the dish.

In a small amount of water, squash a piece of finely chopped bacon. 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 ensure that the dish is saturated with aromas, allow it to stand for a while under the lid before serving. Usually this treat is served with mashed potatoes, seasoned with nutmeg.

Dessert with caramel

You can taste this delicacy in any cafe in the Netherlands. But many housewives prefer to cook waffle delicacy at home.

Put a glass of sugar in a bowl, add 1/3 l. Dry yeast and mix. Pour 150 g of cold milk and add the zest and juice of one lemon. 150 g of oil chop and in parts add to the dough.

Before you start cooking Dutch caramel cookies, hold the dough in the fridge for 5 hours.

Roll out a layer, cut out a glass of circle and roll them in brown sugar. Melting, it will provide caramel flavor. Bake the biscuits in a preheated oven for a quarter of an hour.