Barm Met Kort-Nat
"Bream With Short Broth"
From the treasured pages of Het Hollands, of Neederlands kook-boek
Unknown Author
Barm Met Kort-Nat
"U Barm heel en seer groot zynde, zult gy hem zonder te schrappen in een groote Schotel leggen, en daar op ziedende Eek met wat Zout daar in, gieten; laat hem dan voorts kooken in je Vis-ketel met Verjuis, of Wyn, Zout, Peper, Nagelen, Nooten, Lauwrier, Ajuin, groene Citroen of Oranje; wanneer alles braaf zal kooken, soo doe ’er je Barm in, laat hem daer in kooken tot dat het Nat genoeg verkookt is; daar na zult gy hem opscheppen, en aanregten voor Tuffen-geregt, en den Rand van je Schotel vercieren met groene Pieterfeli of Sterk-kers, na dat gy de Schubben van uwen Vis zult hebben afgedaan."
English Translation
"If the bream is whole and very large, you should place it without scraping in a large dish, and pour boiling vinegar with some salt over it; then let it cook further in your fish kettle with verjuice or wine, salt, pepper, cloves, nutmeg, bay leaf, onion, green lemon or orange. When everything is boiling well, add your bream to it and let it cook in it until the broth is sufficiently reduced. Then you should remove it, and serve it as a main course, decorating the rim of your dish with green parsley or garden cress, after you have removed the scales from your fish."
Note on the Original Text
The recipe is written in the prose style typical of early 18th-century Dutch cookbooks: direct, sometimes elliptical, assuming the reader’s working knowledge of kitchen technique. Spelling varies ('sear' for 'zeer', etc.), and punctuation is irregular. ‘Barm’ is here a phonetic spelling of 'baars’ or ‘brasem’, both referring to types of fish; 'kort-nat' means a small quantity of cooking liquid, a concentrated broth. The boundary between instructions and ingredient list blurs, and the finishing step—removal of scales after cooking—would have been clear to contemporary cooks aiming for a polished table presentation.
Title
Het Hollands, of Neederlands kook-boek (1725)
You can also click the book image above to peruse the original tome
Writer
Unknown
Era
1725
Publisher
J. du Vivie
Background
A delectable journey into 18th-century Dutch cuisine, this cookbook serves up traditional recipes, culinary wisdom, and a flavorful glimpse of the Netherlands’ rich gastronomic heritage.
Kindly made available by
Internet Archive
This recipe originates from 'Het Hollands, of Neederlands kook-boek' published in 1725 in Leyden, at a time when Dutch cuisine was at a crossroads of medieval tradition and early modern innovation. Dishes such as this 'Barm met Kort-nat' were considered refined and were often served at grand tables. The use of verjuice, spices like cloves and nutmeg, and herbs reflected both the reach of Dutch trading connections and the luxurious tastes of their citizens. The presentation of whole fish, ornately garnished, was also a marker of status and sophistication.
Back in the 18th century, cooks used large faience or pewter dishes for preliminary soaking, and heavy copper or brass fish kettles over open fires for boiling. Knives for cleaning and scaling, ladles for basting or removing fish, and plates for decorative garnish were standard. Fine mesh skimmers might be used to remove fish, and the whole operation was supervised over a kitchen range or hearth, with cooks keeping a keen eye on the consistency of the broth as it reduced.
Prep Time
15 mins
Cook Time
45 mins
Servings
6
We've done our best to adapt this historical recipe for modern kitchens, but some details may still need refinement. We warmly welcome feedback from fellow cooks and culinary historians — your insights support the entire community!
Ingredients
- 1 whole bream (or similar freshwater fish), about 3½-4½ lbs, unscaled
- 2 quarts water
- 1 tablespoon salt, plus more to taste
- 7 fluid ounces verjuice (or substitute dry white wine)
- 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 4 whole cloves
- 1-2 whole nutmeg or 1-2 teaspoons grated nutmeg
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 large onion, sliced
- 1 green (unripe) lemon or orange, sliced (or substitute regular lemon/orange)
- Fresh parsley or nasturtium leaves for garnish
Instructions
- Begin by preparing a large piece of Barm (which, in the context of 18th century Dutch cuisine, often refers to a type of fish, likely bream or a similar freshwater fish).
- Place the whole, unscaled fish in a large shallow dish.
- Pour over it a kettle of boiling water (about 2 quarts), salted lightly (about 1 tablespoon).
- Let the fish stand briefly, then transfer it to a large fish kettle.
- Into the kettle, add roughly 7 fluid ounces of verjuice (or use dry white wine if unavailable), 1 tablespoon salt, 1 teaspoon black pepper, 4 cloves, a good handful of whole nutmegs (or 1-2 grated nutmeg), 2 bay leaves, 1 onion (peeled and sliced), and several slices of green (unripe) lemon or orange.
- Bring the liquid to a robust simmer and add the fish.
- Let it poach gently until the broth has reduced and much of the flavor has concentrated—this should take about 30-45 minutes depending on the fish's size.
- Once the liquid is well reduced, carefully lift out the fish, remove the scales, and serve on a platter garnished with fresh parsley or nasturtium leaves.
- The dish is ready as a striking centrepiece, reminiscent of an 18th century Dutch tuffen-gerecht.
Estimated Calories
350 per serving
Cooking Estimates
It takes about 15 minutes to prepare the fish and ingredients, and 45 minutes to cook. This recipe serves 6 people and each serving has about 350 calories.
As noted above, we have made our best effort to translate and adapt this historical recipe for modern kitchens, taking into account ingredients nowadays, cooking techniques, measurements, and so on. However, historical recipes often contain assumptions that require interpretation.
We'd love for anyone to help improve these adaptations. Community contributions are highly welcome. If you have suggestions, corrections, or cooking tips based on your experience with this recipe, please share them below.
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