Continuing our series on unmissable dishes in popular destinations, our Netherlands expert reveals his favourites. See previous articles for the best food to eat in
Spain,
Italy,
Germany and
France.
1. Texel lamb
What makes it great
The lambs that frolic and graze on the salty grasslands of the island of Texel,
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The island of Texel
Where to try it
Travel across the mudflats to savour the lamb in situ. The best I’ve had on the island is at
Bij Jef, where owner-chef Jef Schuur cooks a trio of cuts, each in a slightly different way.
2,
Kicksokok.com. North Sea cod
What makes it great
Firm of flesh and full of flavour, Dutch cod makes its own strong statement, yet combines excitingly with other tastes. In the hands of someone who know what to add and when to hold back, cod can make a dish far greater than the sum of its parts.
Where to try it
Chef Sidney Schutte at
Librije’s Zusje in Amsterdam comes up with cod loin with a dashi-and-passion-fruit sauce, a dish that is my all-time top after many years of dining out.
3. Limburg asparagus
What makes it great
Thick, white and powerful, Limburg asparagus packs a lot of punch, and cooked to a point where it combines just the right amount of give and crunch is a main course in itself.
Limburg is famous for its white asparagus
Credit: VALENTYN VOLKOV
Where to try it
In the restaurant at
Kasteel Ter Worm, just outside Heerlen near the German border, I relish both the creamy soup and the classic grilled asparagus, served with a poached farm egg and savoury sabayon sauce.
4. Erwtensoep (pea soup)
What makes it great
Porridge-thick pea soup (your spoon should stand up in it) is the ideal winter warmer. Vegetarians beware: it comes with smoked sausage floating in it, and usually with a side of dark bread and cured ham.
Where to try it
The richest erwtensoep I’ve had was made by Jan Nederhoed, a butcher from Leek in Groningen. Luckily, you can buy it canned to take home from
Het Lekkere Winkeltje ,
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5. Zeeland mussels
What makes it great
A pot of succulent, fat Zeeland mussels, semi-steamed with a dash of wine and stock, and served with crusty bread is the quickest way to heaven on a summer’s afternoon.
Where to try it
Danny and Juri Nolet at
Nolet’s Vistro, almost on top of the oyster and mussel beds at Yerseke, cook the perfect pot.
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6. Haring (herring)
What makes it great
Fat new Hollandse Nieuwe (Dutch New) herring, caught between May and July, cleaned and salted aboard the boats and serve raw, to be slipped straight down the throat, or served on soft bread with chopped onion, is like kissing the sea.
Herring is usually served raw, with soft bread and chopped onion
Credit: gigra - Fotolia
Where to try it
Schmidt Zeevis in Rotterdam serves it straight, and you eat standing up at counter-tables.
7. Hutspot (hotchpotch)
What makes it great
Potatoes mashed with carrot and served with slow-stewed brisket – or hutspot’s cousin,
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Hutspot is simple but delicious
Credit: MARC VENEMA
Where to try it
In Leiden, the home of hutspot (a pot was supposedly captured from the occupying Spanish forces and served to hungry citizens in 1574), you can get it all over town during the annual October celebration of the lifting of the siege. My favourite is from
Roberto’s, where Roberto Slierlings turns a summer ice-cream parlour into a winter stamppot emporium.
8. Rijsttafel (literally: rice table)  ,
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What makes it great
This feast of spicy dishes and rice was invented in colonial Indonesia to satisfy hungry Dutch overlords, and combines delicious mouthfuls of all manner of surprising flavours with the fun of a communal meal.
Where to try it
The rijsttafel is now considered a Dutch national speciality, and some of the best are to be had in The Hague, where many from the former colonies came to live after Indonesian independence. My favourite restaurant here is the very traditional Bogor (Van Swietenstraat 2, 00 31 70 346 1628; no website).
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9. Croquettes
What makes them great
Crispy crumbed crusts and piping hot creamy fillings – traditionally beef, though I prefer prawn – make krokketten a deeply satisfying between-meals snack and a great drinks accompaniment.
Where to try it
Undisputed croquette king for well over half a century is
Eetsalon Van Dobben in Amsterdam.
10. Friet mayonnaise (potato fries with mayonnaise)
What makes them great
Firm, sweet potatoes cut pinkie-thin and fried twice – once to cook them, then after cooling, a second time to turn them crispy golden brown – are simply irresistible, at any time of day or night, and are as much a national food for the Dutch as for their Flemish cousins to the south.
Where to try it
The Frietwinkel in Utrecht serves a superb cone of chips, using organic potatoes and with some adventurous toppings (such as pumpkin ketchup).
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