Hachee
Hachee is a 17th-century recipe developed during the Dutch Golden Age, when trading ships brought exotic spices like cloves into Amsterdam's harbors. The name comes from the French hacher, meaning «to chop», though over time large chunks of meat became the preferred standard for the richer texture after long simmering. Today it remains a typical winter dish, often served for days on end in restaurants that cook it in large batches and reheat it, believing the sauce gets even better on the second or third day. Many Dutch families use leftovers from Sunday's roast for Monday's hachee, turning one meal into another without waste.
As much onion as meat
Onions are used in nearly equal quantity to the meat, slowly melting into a thick, sweetish sauce.
Vinegar and bay leaves for depth
A splash of red wine vinegar and a few bay leaves give the stew a subtle tartness that balances the onions' sweetness.
Thickened with spiced bread
A slice of traditional Dutch spiced bread, called ontbijtkoek, dissolves into the sauce, thickening it naturally.
Cooked very slowly for hours
The stew is given hours of slow simmering, during which the meat becomes extremely tender and falls apart easily.
Ingredients 4 servings
- 600g beef chuck, cubed
- 600g onions, thinly sliced
- 2 bay leaves
- 3 cloves
- 3 tbsp red wine vinegar
- 1 slice spiced bread
- 2 tbsp butter
- 500ml beef stock
- Salt and pepper
How to make it
- 1Melt the butter in a large pot and brown the beef cubes in batches on all sides, then set them aside.
- 2Sauté the thinly sliced onions in the same pot for ten minutes, until translucent and lightly golden.
- 3Return the browned meat to the pot, add the bay leaves, cloves and red wine vinegar.
- 4Pour in the beef stock, nearly covering the meat, and bring to a boil.
- 5Reduce the heat to low, cover the pot and simmer for two and a half hours, stirring occasionally.
- 6Crumble the slice of spiced bread into the hot sauce and stir well until it fully dissolves, thickening the sauce.
- 7Simmer another thirty minutes uncovered, season with salt and pepper, and serve hot alongside mashed potatoes or stamppot.
Nutritional info
per serving (~400 ml)
Estimated nutritional values.
Pairs perfectly with
