Potagie Van Kampernoeljen Buiten De Vasten
"Potage Of Champignons (Mushrooms) Outside Of Lent"
From the treasured pages of Het Hollands, of Neederlands kook-boek
Unknown Author
Potagie Van Kampernoeljen Buiten De Vasten
"Men neemt Talingen of andere Vogels van dit slag, men doorfpekte tamelyk, laatse half braaden, of laatse door de Casserool gaan met gesmolte Spek daar by, en doetse in de pot met weltoebereid Nat. Heb voorts kampernoeljens by de hand, en die afgepluist zynde, snydse aan dobbelsteentjens, doe se by het Spek daar je Vogels van zyn rood geworden, doet’er twee goede vinger-grepen Meel by, doet se daar na in de pot, daar je Talingen in kooken, tot dat se half gaar zyn; als dan je Nat van passe verkookt zynde, soo schept je Potagie op, die gy zult laten weeken, smooren en binden met Weere-nat voor dat gy se zult opdissen. Dus soo kan men het Gevogelte mede in Potagie eeten, en tot optooisel moogt gy de Randen van uwe Schootel vercieren met Kampernoeljens gefruit in gesmolte Verkensreusel, na dat gy se te voren in de Casserool met nat hebt laten besterven, en daar na wel met Peper en Zout toebereid."
English Translation
"Take teal or other birds of this kind, prick them rather well, let them half roast, or let them pass through the casserole with melted bacon added, and then put them in the pot with well-prepared broth. Furthermore, have champignons at hand, and after plucking them, cut them into small cubes, add them to the bacon where your birds have been browned, add two good pinches of flour, then add this to the pot where your teal are cooking, until they are half done; when your broth has cooked down to the right consistency, then ladle out your potage, which you should let soak, braise and thicken with more broth before serving. This way one can also eat the poultry in the potage, and for garnish you may decorate the edges of your dish with champignons fried in melted lard, after having first let them stew with broth in the casserole, and then preparing them properly with pepper and salt."
Note on the Original Text
The recipe is written in an instructive, informal tone with few precise quantities—a typical feature of early 18th-century cookery. Spelling varies (e.g., 'Kampernoeljen' for mushrooms) and vocabulary is sometimes archaic. Ingredients are referenced by their role (such as 'well-prepared liquor' for stock) rather than by specific measurement, with the expectation that the cook was experienced and could judge amounts and doneness by sight and taste. The instructions guide the cook through steps in a narrative, prioritising method and sequence over exact precision, granting flexibility but relying on the cook’s familiarity with household kitchen practice.
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 comes from ‘Het Hollands, of Neederlands kook-boek’, published in Leiden in 1725. It was a period marked by prosperous trade and culinary exchange in the Dutch Republic, where both local foods and imported delicacies made Dutch tables impressively diverse. The dish is a luxurious 'potagie'—a rich, hearty, and slightly thickened stew—intended for non-Lenten days, featuring small birds and mushrooms cooked together in a savory broth thickened with flour, a classic early-modern European technique. The original use of teal reflects the abundance of wild game available in the Dutch wetlands.
Cooks would have used a heavy brass or copper pot (casserole) over a wood or peat fire to brown the birds and prepare the stew. A long-handled wooden spoon was used for stirring, and a ladle for serving. Rendered pork fat was prepared in advance, as was the homemade bird or meat stock. Earthenware or pewter serving dishes were often decorated with elaborate garnishes, and the final dish was likely presented with an artful edge of sautéed mushrooms.
Prep Time
20 mins
Cook Time
1 hr
Servings
4
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
- 2-4 small wild ducks (teal) or substitute with 2 large duck legs or 4 chicken thighs (approx. 1 3/4 lb)
- 5 oz pork lard (or substitute with unsalted butter)
- 18 oz fresh mushrooms, diced
- 2 heaped tablespoons (about 1 oz) plain flour
- 4 1/4 cups (1 quart) rich chicken or game stock
- Salt and black pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Begin by selecting teal (a type of small wild duck) or similar small game birds, such as duck, pigeon, or quail.
- If teal is unavailable, use duck legs or chicken thighs as a substitute.
- Prick the birds well with a fork and either roast them lightly until half-done or brown them in a pan with rendered pork fat (lard).
- Reserve the rendered fat.
- Place the half-cooked birds in a pot with well-prepared stock (use chicken or game stock), enough to submerge the birds.
- Meanwhile, clean and finely dice fresh mushrooms—button mushrooms work well if field mushrooms aren’t to hand.
- Sauté the mushrooms in the reserved pork fat until lightly browned, then add a couple of generous tablespoons of flour to the pan, stirring to make a roux.
- Transfer the mushroom-flour mixture to the pot with the birds, and simmer gently until both the birds and mushrooms are nearly fully cooked and the broth has thickened.
- Skim off any excess fat, ensuring the stock is rich and flavourful.
- Before serving, moisten and bind the dish with additional hot stock as needed to reach a smooth, silky consistency.
- For garnishing, sauté additional sliced mushrooms in pork fat until crisp.
- Decorate the edge of your serving platter with these, after they have been finished in a little broth, then seasoned with salt and pepper.
- Serve hot, letting the flavors meld together.
Estimated Calories
480 per serving
Cooking Estimates
It takes around 20 minutes to prepare the ingredients and get everything ready. Cooking will need about 1 hour to fully cook the birds, let the mushrooms blend into the sauce, and bring everything together. Each serving has about 480 calories based on the ingredients listed, and this recipe serves 4 people.
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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