Friday, June 10, 2011

JJ's first raw herring... A real Dutch treat!

Our first day in the Netherlands and Opa (Grandpa) had raw soused herring (Maatjesharing or also called Hollandse Nieuwe) for us. Unfortunately only JJ likes them... so she was in for a treat!

And this is how you eat it, the whole fillet you eat at once, with some raw onions or just like this. JJ loves it!!







The Dutch call it maatjesharing, in Germany and Sweden it just matjes. It is made from young herrings caught before the breeding season started. I think the name is from the old word for young/unmarried women in German. We still have the word maid in Dutch. It's meisje, and in English, maiden.

The fish is put in a brine and the pancreas stays in the fish, so the enzymes make the fish very soft.

In my area Matjes is prepared with raw onions and apples in a sauce of yogurt and cream. The dish is often served on Fridays in the early summer. It's cheap and easy to prepare.

Today we will be eating mussels served Dutch style, but again only JJ likes this, so Jasmine and me will just eat some chicken...

Greetings from Holland!
Mireille xx

4 comments:

Wendy said...

What's wonderful about the life you are giving to your girls is that they are having so many wonderful cultural experiences. They will grow up to be risk-takers and accepting tolerant young ladies. Good for you, Mama!

Ms. Pollywog said...

I agree with Wendy. I wonder where these girls will end up living as adults! You've taught them that they can truly go wherever they want to go and do whatever they want to do. They are going to be such worldly young ladies.

Mireille said...

Thanks guys! The girls can never say to me that I haven't brought them anywhere, we travel quite a bit... and I let them try everything!

Maci Miller said...

Boy what an adventurous eater JJ is! Not sure I'd be eating that! I agree with everyone that this is just wonderful for them to try it all!

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