Dutch Food Delights: Hachee
What: Hachee – a traditional Dutch stew based on diced meat, fish or bird and vegetables. The gravy is flavoured with clove and bay leaves. It is traditionally served with red cabbage, apples, apple sauce, potatoes or rice.
Why: While hachees have featured on the menu of medieval buffets, the Dutch version is more likely based on the reuse of meat cooked in a Dutch oven together with any vegetables that happened to be available. The acidic fluids were added to tenderize the meat.
Where: In your kitchen! This is one of those find a recipe (like this or this or this) and make it Dutch food delights.
When: Whenever you like. The dish does suit autumn and winter temperatures because it is quite hardy and warm, plus it needs over two hours on the stove. I don’t quite fancy that in the middle of summer.
Varieties: Recipes and ingredients vary so there are a lot of varieties available. The version based on diced beef, onions and vinegar or wine (see photo) is particular of Brabantish cuisine.
How Much [Should I Eat]: I expected the dish to be super sweet because of all the spices but it surprisingly wasn’t. The flavour is quite enjoyable and provided you like the meat you use, then you should be good to consume a normal meal portion. I don’t envision people eating bowlfuls of the stuff in one go but then I am sure there is probably someone out there that does just that!
Pas Op! (Watch Out!): If you really want the dish to be flavourful, make it the day before you plan to eat it and reheat the next day.
My parents in law make Hachee quite a lot when we go over to visit. It's great stuff.
I feel like I am the only in the Netherlands who had never heard of this stuff before, let alone know that it was Dutch.
Don't forget the onions, also a very important ingredient of hachee.
Very true, Papinkelman! Mine actually had onion it but you don't see it at all in the photo.