Schol In De Cafferool
"Plaice In The Cafferool"
From the treasured pages of Het Hollands, of Neederlands kook-boek
Unknown Author
Schol In De Cafferool
"Na dat je u Schollen hebt schoon gemaakt en gewassen, soo doet gy se in de Cafferool met Boter, waar in een weinig Meel is gemengt, voorts Champinjons, Moriljes, en andere Stoffeering soo gy se hebt, Pieterseli, Prei, Zout, Peper, en een weinig witte Wyn; laat dit Ragout na behooren kooken. Uwe Schollen gaar zynde, soo dist gy se op tot Voor-geregt, zynde gestoffeert met een gezult van Vis. Ook soo eet men se gebraden op den Rooster met een Witte Doop; men moet se, om se eenigzins te vermommen, haar de Neus en den Staart afsnyden. Ook soo kunt gy, als gy wilt, defe Vis gefruit aanregten met het Zap van een Oranje-appel, en gestoffeert met Pieterselie, ofte gefruite sneetjens Witte-brood."
English Translation
"Plaice in the Cafferool. After you have cleaned and washed your plaice, put them in the Cafferool with butter in which a little flour has been mixed, then add mushrooms, morels, and any other garnishes you have, parsley, leek, salt, pepper, and a little white wine; let this ragout cook as needed. Once your plaice is done, serve them as a starter, stuffed with a sauce made of fish. You can also eat them roasted on the grill with a white sauce; to disguise them a bit, you should cut off the nose and tail. If you wish, you may also serve the fish fried with the juice of an orange, and garnished with parsley, or with fried slices of white bread."
Note on the Original Text
The original recipe, like most of its era, assumes a level of culinary intuition and skill. Quantities and precise timings are left scant, as the writer presumes familiarity with both the fish and ragout techniques. Spelling follows pre-standardized Dutch, with some words (like 'gestoffeert' for garnishing or embellishing, and 'Voor-geregt' for entree) now archaic. Directions are sequential but non-specific: cooks are expected to adjust seasoning, quantities, and finishing touches to taste and resources at hand. Method instruction focuses on process (clean, stew, garnish, or grill), offering variations such as serving with a white sauce or with fried bread—an early example of optional plating styles.
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 hails from 'Het Hollands, of Neederlands kook-boek', published in Leiden in 1725, a classic Dutch cookbook prized for documenting the foodways of early 18th-century Netherlands. At a time when Dutch cuisine was deeply influenced by both local produce and the bounty brought in by maritime trade, this dish showcases both the everyday fish of the North Sea and the subtle use of luxurious ingredients such as mushrooms and white wine. The ragout style, combining fish, butter, and light seasoning with wine and mushrooms, was fashionable in upper-middle-class and wealthy urban kitchens. Such recipes reflect both the straightforward abundance of the Dutch larder and a penchant for elaborate presentation.
In the early 18th century Dutch kitchen, this dish would have been prepared on an open hearth or iron stove. Essential tools included heavy copper or iron pans (the 'Cafferool' is a deep pan or casserole), large sharp knives for cleaning and trimming fish, and wooden spoons for stirring sauces. Fish was often served on simple earthenware or pewter plates, with accompaniments laid out from similar forms. Fine home cooks prided themselves on artful trimming and garnishing, often using what we would now call kitchen shears and special serving utensils.
Prep Time
15 mins
Cook Time
15 mins
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
- 4 whole plaice (schol), about 5 1/2-7 oz each, cleaned and trimmed
- 3 1/2 tablespoons (1.8 oz) unsalted butter
- 1 tablespoon (0.35 oz) plain flour
- 5 1/3 oz mushrooms (white button, cremini, or field mushrooms as substitute for historical champignons)
- 3/4 oz dried morels (morilles), soaked and sliced (or 1 3/4 oz fresh if available)
- 3 1/2 oz leek, white part, thinly sliced
- 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
- 1 teaspoon salt (to taste)
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 3 1/2 fl oz dry white wine
- Optional: additional salted fish for garnish
- Optional variation: juice of 1 orange
- Optional: slices of white bread, fried in butter
Instructions
- Clean and wash 4 whole plaice (about 1 lb 5 oz to 1 lb 12 oz total).
- In a large sauté pan, melt 3 1/2 tablespoons (1.8 oz) of unsalted butter and stir in 1 tablespoon (0.35 oz) of flour to make a light roux.
- Add 5 1/3 oz sliced mushrooms (mix of white button and, if available, a small handful of dried morels, soaked and sliced), 1 small chopped leek (about 3 1/2 oz), 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley, 1 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper, and 3 1/2 fl oz dry white wine.
- Stir gently and add the plaice.
- Let this mixture simmer on low heat with a lid for 10-15 minutes, or until the fish is cooked through.
- Serve immediately as an entree, optionally garnished with pieces of salted fish or a little extra parsley.
- Alternatively, grill the cleaned and trimmed plaice (with head and tail removed) and serve with a simple white butter sauce.
- For a variation, serve the fried fish with parsley and a squeeze of orange juice, or with fried slices of white bread.
Estimated Calories
250 per serving
Cooking Estimates
It usually takes about 15 minutes to prepare the ingredients and another 15 minutes to cook the fish and vegetables. Each serving contains about 250 calories and the 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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