Nothing like the King Prawns from Sydney Fish Markets, Dutch shrimp (Hollandse Garnalen) are tiny pinky grey prawns smaller than my thumb nail. They are caught off the North Sea, cooked aboard a trawler and then sent to Morocco where female factory workers employed by the Dutch company Heiploeg peel them for low wages. Apparently only women peel the prawns, the men do other prawn related activities. Machines are not used widely, the Dutch shrimp having low machine peel-ability. However the company is working on improved machines - I wonder if this is better or worse for the Moroccan women.
It’s always been the women stuck with peeling the prawns. Perhaps its a woman’s smaller more dextrous fingers that make easier work of the fiddly job. In the olden days housewives in the Dutch village of Zoutkamp where Heiploeg have headquarters, used to take the prawns home and peel them for pocket money. Now, once the Moroccan women are finished their job peeling 7 billion shrimp annually, the tiny delicacy is transported back to Holland and distributed to Albert Heijn supermarkt and other viswinkelen (fishmongers). Dutch shrimp are the perfect size for sandwiches, hors d'oeuvres or blinis.
A little blini with some Dutch shrimp and herring caviar (so Dutch) is an amuse-bouche offered to us on Christmas Day at Viszooi, a gezellig (cosy) restaurant on Nieuwe Schoolstraat in The Hague.
Another amuse-bouche in a shot glass, is a beetroot relish topped with an oyster. But this is an oyster that’s had a run through a cappuccino machine. It’s an oyster foam. Like the molecular gastronomy creations of Ferran Adria of El Bulli in Spain (second best restaurant in the world 2010) and Heston Blumenthal’s Fat Duck in the UK (third best restaurant in the world), we are consuming froth and air. Warm oyster flavoured air. It’s more moreish than it sounds. Later we are treated to the sweet tart flavour combination of pears in cranberry ice and this time in a mulled wine airy foam.
Between slurping down the froths and foams, our main is presented: Turbot with confit de canard, sauerkraut and piment jus. The turbot comes baked. We’ve never heard of this creature though discover its a flatfish from European waters. Known as one of the finest salt water fish, its also one of the most expensive. The flavour is delicate and the flesh is firm and it’s a lovely balance with the stronger sauerkraut and duck confit.
But I’m alarmed to see a picture of the turbot later. It’s extremely ugly and deformed and has two eyes. While two eyes are fine if there is one on each side of the face, this fish has two eyes on the left side of it’s face and none on the right. Its lopsided. Its hideous. This is a fish that hangs about on the sea floor, with it’s blind right side facing the boring view of the sand and the two eyes on the left getting the most from the view above.
Image via WikipediaOf the view in Viszooi, I have the best. Sean has his back to the screen on the wall that changes images every few seconds, from beautiful food and nature photographic images to scenery from around the world. “Turn around now, quick” I have to keep saying, “there’s a bear catching a fish.” The cosy and kooky environment and attentive staff made the evening indulgent and fun. The food was beautiful with such attention to detail. Oh and special thanks to the Moroccan women who peeled the Dutch shrimp.
Viszooi Christmas Menu 2010
Blini with Dutch shrimp and herring caviar
Oyster foam with a beetroot relish
Serrano ham and lobster salad with avocado basil cream
Scallops with celeriac and truffle sauce
Turbot with confit de canard, sauerkraut and piment jus
Pears in mulled wine foam and cranberry sorbet
San Pellegrino World’s 50 Best Restaurants 2010: 1. Noma (Denmark) 2. El Bulli (Spain) 3. Fat Duck (UK). http://www.theworlds50best.com/
San Pellegrino World’s 50 Best Restaurants 2010: 1. Noma (Denmark) 2. El Bulli (Spain) 3. Fat Duck (UK). http://www.theworlds50best.com/
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