April 2: To the Dutch, it's `hutspot'

By Jeff Cheek

Holland is a small, well-scrubbed country on the northern face of Europe where the Rhine flows into the North Sea. The other European countries have expanded by seizing and holding territory from their neighbors. (Russia and Germany destroyed Poland twice, in 1795 and 1939, by dividing the country between them.) The Dutch are different. They have waged war for almost eight centuries, but their army is the sea. The real name is the Kingdom of the Netherlands, or the Lowlands. Approximately one third of Holland lies below sea level, held back by an interlocking series of dikes.

It is also a cartographer's nightmare because the land area grows by five or six square miles every year. In 1998 the land area was reported as 16, 033 square miles. Four years later this would be about 16,063. It is a slow and laborious process. Inlets are sealed-off by a dike and then the sea water is pumped out. This new land, called polder, is too salty to support vegetation but huge pumps wash the soil repeatedly, then saline loving plants are sowed to remove the salt. Finally, the new land is ready for cultivation. Despite its small size, Holland exports billions of tulip bulbs and two famous cheeses, Gouda and Edam. Food exports exceed imports, giving the thrifty, hard-working Dutch one of the highest standards of living in Europe.

Once ruled by Spain as the "Spanish Netherlands," the people rose in rebellion in the 16th Century. The Dutch Declaration of Independence was signed December 1579.

The Siege of Leiden (also Lyden) was part of this revolutionary struggle. The siege also led to the creation of a national dish that is served on October 3, called hutspot. I could not find the recipe, so I wrote to the Dutch Embassy in Washington for assistance. By return mail I received a letter from Harry A.M. de Wit, Counselor for Public and Cultural Affairs, thanking me for my interest. Mr. de Wit sent a two-page synopsis of the siege, and a cookbook containing the recipe. He warned me that potatoes were unknown in Holland in 1574, so the original recipe used carrots and turnips. The potatoes were added later.

There were two sieges. The first began in October 1573. General Valdez decided to starve the Dutch into surrendering. The siege was lifted on March 21. Dutch leader William the Silent sent troops to lure the Spanish away. After winning the Battle of Mookerheide, the Spanish returned on May 25. The second siege lasted until October 3. Almost one third of the 15,000 Leiden citizens died rather than capitulate.

In desperation, William ordered the dikes broken to flood the area, but controlled so that the city was saved. Seeing the rising water, the Spanish fled at night. The Dutch gave an orphan lad, Cornelius Joppensz, 6 guilders to investigate. Entering the Spanish camp he found a caldron of "cocida" (stew) on the fire. Cornelius ate, then carried the rest back to the city. This is Dutch "hutspot," to be served on October 3, to commemorate the lifting of the siege.

INGREDIENTS:

1 1/2 lb. chuck steak

2 cups water

1 tsp. salt

3 pounds potatoes, peeled and quartered

3 pounds carrots, peeled and chopped

1 large onion, chopped

1 stick butter

1 cup milk

PREPARATION: Boil beef in salted water for 1 hour, then add vegetables, cook for another 30 minutes. Remove meat. Drain water but keep it. Mash potatoes and vegetables. Melt butter in warm milk, pour over vegetable mixture. Add enough reserved water to make a soft mush. Cut meat into small pieces, stir through hutspot. Serve while still warm.

Jeff Cheek lives in Medford