If you've ever taken a stroll along a Dutch beach, you may have noticed all those little fish carts selling deep-fried fish specialties such as lekkerbekjes (the Dutch answer to fish and chips) and kibbeling (its bite-sized cousin). And, if you were lucky, you sampled some of Holland's deep fried fish varieties.

While nothing beats feasting on freshly fried fish when surrounded by silty seaside air, making your own lekkerbekjes at home is a rare treat, too. Flaky white fish varieties, such as (overfished) cod, whiting or hake, are usually used for this Dutch delicacy, but if you'd like to cook with more sustainable Dutch fish, use nice fat plaice fillets instead (plaice are at their plumpest in the summer months). Use smaller fillets when serving this dish for lunch or as a snack.

Interestingly, the word lekkerbek is not only used for this fabulous fried fish variety, but also happens to be Dutch for 'gourmand'. How's that for a glowing endorsement?

This recipe is from Het Nederlands Viskookboek (or 'The Dutch Fish Cookbook'), and has been translated and adapted for this site and published here with the permission of the publisher. The recipe can also be used for kibbeling. The batter is the same (perhaps add a dash of beer) and use smaller pieces of fish, seasoned with salt and pepper.

See Also

Smoked Herring Fishcakes Recipe

Sole with Hollandaise Sauce Recipe

Grilled Sea Bass with Garlic & Parsley Recipe