TASTE HOLLAND

While visiting dear friends in Amsterdam I was inspired by this country's provocative and historically rich culture, colorful Spring tulip fields and simply comforting cuisine.  With its 17th-Century rings of canals, pointedly narrow houses, steep stairwells, both Gothic and Renaissance architecture and a world-renowned symphonic orchestra you, too, will fall in love with this cultural epicenter.  Bordering Belgium to the south and Germany to the east, north and west is the North Sea, its diverse landscape ranges from the dunes to lowlands"Polders" to the higher eastern section.

The main ingredient in old-fashioned Dutch dinners is potatoes, usually accompanied by meat and boiled vegetables. The Dutch traditionally don't use very sharp spices and are very fond of pouring gravy onto everything.  Vla, a delicious Dutch custard dessert, can be flavored to your preferences.  I like best the fruit flavors coupled with fresh berries.

For a simple and traditional Dutch table setting, place tulips in the center of the dinner table and wrap napkins using a single tulip leaf knotted loosely.

Menu 
Heineken, Amstel or Grolsch Beer, chilled
Dutch Stamppot
Sausage in Puff Pastry
Vla with Fresh Fruit
Sweet Dutch Pannekoek

DUTCH STAMPPOT, VEGETABLE MASHED POTATOES
Prepared in 40 minutes or less.

4 russet potatoes, cleaned
8 tbs unsalted butter
2 kale leaves, center rib and stem removed, leaves finely chopped
1 small carrot, peeled and finely chopped
1 small yellow onion, peeled and finely chopped
6 tbs whole milk
Salt and fresh pepper to taste

In a medium pot, place the potatoes and cover them by 2 inches with salted water.  Bring to a boil over medium-high heat and cook until potatoes are tender, approximately 30 minutes.

In the meantime, heat 3 tablespoons of butter in a skillet over medium-high heat.  Add the kale leaves, carrots and onions.  Cook until vegetables are soft, approximately 8-10 minutes.  Season to taste and set aside.

Drain then peel cooked potatoes.  Return them to the cleaned pot.  Mash potatoes with a sturdy fork.  Add milk, remaining butter, cooked vegetables and mix until butter is completely melted and the mixture is light and fluffy.  Re-season to taste.  Serve hot.  Serves 4.

SAUSAGE IN PUFF PASTRY
Prepared in 30 minutes or less.

½ lbs store-bought puff pastry
½ lbs loose sausage meat
1 egg, beaten in a bowl
1 cup flour
Salt and fresh pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 400°F.

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or aluminum foil.  Set aside.

On a working surface sprinkled with flour about ¼-inch thick, roll out the puff pastry.

Using a sharp knife cut pastry into 2½-inch wide strips.  Then cut each strip crosswise in 2½-inch intervals to make squares.  Place ½ teaspoon of loose sausage meat into the center of each puff pastry square.

Fold two sides of the pastry towards each other, slightly overlapping and covering the meat.  Gently press down on open ends and trim off excess with knife.

Using a pastry brush, gently brush tops with some of the egg mixture then transfer squares to the prepared baking sheet and refrigerate for 10 minutes before baking.

Bake pastries until golden brown for approximately 15 minutes.  Transfer sausage pastries to a serving platter and serve hot.  Serves 4.

VLA CUSTARD CRèME WITH FRESH FRUIT
Prepared in 25 minutes or less plus 1 hour to refrigerate.

1¾ cups whole milk
3 Star anise pods, mahogany colored eight-pointed star shaped seedpod spice has a slight licorice flavor.  Each seedpoint pod contains a pea-sized seed.  It is available at most Asian markets or specialty stores.
3 egg yolks
⅔ cup sugar
2 tbs cornstarch
2 tsp vanilla extract
Pint of fresh mixed fresh berries
Plastic wrap

In a small saucepan over medium-high heat, warm the milk along with the star anise pods.

In a separate bowl using a whisk, mix together the egg yolks, sugar and corn starch.  

When the milk is just about reaching the boiling point, remove from the heat. Take a couple of tablespoons of the warm milk and add it to the egg mixture, to loosen it up, and then add the egg mixture to the milk in the saucepan.  Return the saucepan to the stove and cook milk mixture over high heat -- stirring constantly -- until the custard thickens.

Remove from the heat and stir in the vanilla extract.  Remove the star anise pods out before serving.

Gently spoon the custard into 4 martini glasses.  Cut plastic wrap to fit the glasses, and place directly on top of the custard (this prevents a skin from forming).  Allow custard to cool then place in the refrigerator to get cold until ready to serve.

Top with a variety of fresh berries, such as raspberries, strawberries, redcurrants, blueberries and blackberries. Serves 4.

SWEET DUTCH PANNEKOEK, LARGE AND THICK PANCAKE
Prepared in 40 minutes or less.

¼ cup butter
3 large eggs, room temperature
⅛ tsp salt
¾ cup flour
¾ cup whole milk
2 apples, peeled, cored and sliced into 6 pieces each
Ground cinnamon and sugar to taste

Preheat oven to 400°F.

Melt butter in 9x13-inch pan or a 12-inch oven-proof skillet with rounded sides.  Tilt pan to cover the sides with melted butter.

Whisk the eggs and salt in a medium bowl.  Next, add the milk then whisk in the flour until mixture is well-combined and smooth. 

Arrange apple slices on the bottom of the pan then sprinkle with a touch of cinnamon and sugar mix.  Pour batter into the prepared pan.

Bake for 20-25 minutes until the top is golden brown.  Pannekoeken will puff up in the oven and deflate rapidly when serving.  I dress it simply with a little sprinkling of ground cinnamon and confectioners' sugar.  Some people like to add syrup.  Serve hot.