Vrolijk Pasen! Our Easter Dutch Feast Salads

When we were brainstorming about the theme for our Easter brunch, R suggested a Lord of the Rings meal. But we had done a Tolkien Thanksgiving in November 2022. So, I suggested we cook from one of my new cookbooks instead.

I handed him Dutch Feast by Emily Wight (here's an affiliate Amazon link if you are interested). 'Okay,' he agreed, handing back the book without cracking the cover. Don't you want to look through it? I asked. 'No, it's fine,' he said, 'I just want your cooking.' So I was left to plan the menu on my own. Flipping through this cookbook was a joy.

On the Page

If you follow me regularly, you probably know that I lived in Holland for three years as a child. You can read about my culinary déjà vu in my post, A Savory Pannekoeken. And for New Year's Eve, I did a Rijsttafel, An Indonesian Feast with a Colonial Twist. After sharing photos of that feast, a fellow foodie blogger told me about this cookbook: Dutch Feast by Emily Wight. It's not new, having been published in 2017, but it's new to me and I am enjoying exploring the pages and recipes.

Wight reimagines traditional Dutch cooking with an focus on how simple meals can bring joy and comfort to people who share them. That is certainly how I feel. The chapters in her book include Breakfast, Coffee Time & Daytime Entertaining, Borrels (Dutch Tapas), Weeknight Dinners, Rijsttafel (Rice Table), Gezellig (Comfort Food), Christmas, and Condiments & Preserves. Wight also touches on Dutch history and gives the back story on more traditional ingredients such as licorice, herring and beer.

On the Plate

I look forward to many more meals from this book. But for our Easter brunch, I used Wight's recipes to make: Snert (Dutch Split-Pea Soup); Beet & Apple Salad; Sugar Snap Peas with Herb Vinaigrette; Cucumber Salad; and Roast Lamb with Red Wine-Braised Cabbage. I'll be sharing just the salads in this post. Stay tuned for more recipes from Dutch Feast. None of these are exactly as written. You know, I use what I have.

Sugar Snap Peas with Herb Vinaigrette

Ingredients

• 1 pound organic sugar snap peas

• 1/4 cup olive oil

• 2 Tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice

• 1 teaspoon maple syrup

• 4 green onions, thinly sliced on the diagonal

• 3 Tablespoons freshly chopped mint

• 3 Tablespoons freshly chopped cilantro

• freshly ground black pepper

Procedure

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the oil, lemon juice, maple syrup, and several grinds of black pepper. Trim the snap peas and blanch. Toss the peas and herbs in the vinaigrette. Let stand for at least 30 minutes before serving.

Beet & Apple Salad

Ingredients

• 4 beets, scrubbed

• olive oil

• 2 green apples

• 1/2 English cucumber

• 1/2 cup buttermilk

• 1 Tablespoon Dijon mustard

• 2 teaspoons maple syrup

• 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar

• freshly ground salt and pepper

• 2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves plus a sprig or two for garnish

Procedure

Roasted Beets - Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Scrub and trim the beets, then roll them in olive oil and sprinkle them with salt. Lay them on a baking sheet. Roast until they are fork tender. It depends on the size of the beet, but it usually takes about an hour. Once they are cool enough to handle, rub off the skin and dice to about 1/2-inch.

Core apples and dice to about 1/2-inch. Dice cucumbers to about 1/2-inch.

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the buttermilk, Dijon mustard, maple syrup, and vinegar. Add in the diced beets, apples, and cucumber. Toss to coat. Fold in herbs. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Cucumber Salad

Ingredients

• 1 English cucumber, thinly sliced

• 1 shallot, peeled and minced

• 3 Tablespoons buttermilk

• 1 Tablespoon fresh chopped cilantro plus a sprig or two for garnish

• 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves

• freshly ground salt and pepper

Procedure

Whisk together the buttermilk, salt, and pepper. Stir in the cucumbers and shallots. Cover and refrigerate for at least an hour. Just before serving, fold in the fresh herbs. Garnish with more cilantro.

I am linking this in to the April 2024 #FoodieReads.