Colys Van Kalfs-Vlees
"Colys Of Veal"
From the treasured pages of Het Hollands, of Neederlands kook-boek
Unknown Author
Colys Van Kalfs-Vlees
"Men neemt van de Dye van een Kalf, waar van dat men het Zap trekt als gezegt is; voorts doet men in dit Zap gedroogde Korften Brood, en een weinig Vlees-nat; en als je Korften wel zyn doortrokken, zo zygt gy het alles door den Teems, en gy bedient’er u van by voorval; aldus maakt men ook de Colys van Rund-vlees."
English Translation
"One takes the thigh of a calf, from which the juice is drawn as previously described; then one puts into this juice dried crusts of bread, and a little meat broth; and when the crusts are well soaked, you strain everything through a sieve, and you use it as needed; the same is done to make Colys of beef."
Note on the Original Text
The recipe uses terse, imperative instructions, common in early modern culinary writing, assuming the practical knowledge of the reader. Many words are old Dutch spellings (e.g., 'men neemt', 'Zap', 'doortrokken', 'zygt', 'Teems'), and quantities are rarely specified except by context. The process is more descriptive than prescriptive, relying on the cook's intuition to judge consistency and seasoning. The minimalism of the instructions, and the assumption that cooks understood techniques like passing through the 'teems' (tamis), is typical of the period.
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 appears in the influential Dutch cookbook "Het Hollands, of Neederlands kook-boek" published in Leiden in 1725. It is reflective of early 18th century Dutch culinary traditions, where broths, thickened with bread or grains, formed an essential element of everyday cooking. In a time before commercial thickeners or roux, the use of dried bread allowed cooks to transform leftover stock into a satisfying sauce or potage called 'colys'. The technique also reflects frugal kitchen practice, making use of surplus bread and meat juices within the domestic economy of the period.
Historical cooks would have used a sturdy kettle or iron pot to simmer the veal, a ladle to lift out the broth, and a fine-mesh sieve or a linen 'teems' (strainer or tamis) to strain and smooth the sauce. A wooden spoon or pestle might be used to work the soaked bread through the sieve. Cooking would be done over an open fire or hearth, with heavy pots suspended or placed over coals.
Prep Time
10 mins
Cook Time
1 hr
Servings
2
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
- 2 cups veal stock (from simmered veal shin, marrow bone or knuckle)
- 2.5 oz dried crusty white bread (crusts only), cubed
- 2 fl oz meat stock (beef or veal)
- Salt, to taste (optional, as not specified in original)
- Optional: pinch of pepper (if desired, to taste)
Instructions
- Begin by simmering veal shank or another gelatin-rich part of veal in water until a clear broth — or 'sap' as once called — is produced.
- Strain out the solids, reserving the broth.
- Into roughly 2 cups of this veal broth, add about 2.5 oz of stale, crusty white bread (crusts only, cut into cubes) and a splash (about 2 fl oz) of additional meat stock (such as beef or veal).
- Let the bread soak thoroughly in the warm liquid until softened.
- Then, press the mixture through a fine sieve or tamis to achieve a smooth, thickened sauce.
- Warm gently to serve as a sauce or soup base, as suited to your meal.
- For a beef version, simply substitute beef for veal throughout.
Estimated Calories
60 per serving
Cooking Estimates
You will need around 10 minutes to prepare the ingredients and about 1 hour to cook the veal stock and finish the sauce. Each serving has about 60 calories. This recipe makes about 2 servings.
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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