MING: This week on Simply Ming, I'm on the road again, this time in Amsterdam, known for their 60 miles of canals.

Today, we're cooking with Amsterdam's famous pickles, which we'll pick up from Kesbeke Fine Pickles, one of the best pickle makers in town.

Then I'll cook with Michelin- starred chef Ron Blaauw.

He'll be making a smoked eel with brioche, egg salad, and Amsterdam pickles.

You literally smoke the whole thing.

Yeah.

MING: That's so sexy.

And I'll be making a frito misto, using my beer tempura batter, and these same pickles.

Oh, you're going in.

Okay, we're going in here.

We all right?

We're good.

MING: We're on the road right here in Amsterdam.

It's all coming up right now on Simply Ming.

♪ ♪ MING: Hello, gentlemen, how are you?

Ming Tsai.

Are you chef?

I'm Ron.

MING: Ron, nice to meet you, chef.

Welcome.

MING: How are you?

Ming.

Oos Kesbeke.

MING: Oos Kesbeke.

This is your joint.

Yeah, yeah.

My shop.

MING: So how long have you guys known each other?

Oh, I think 20 years.

MING: 20 years.

He's the best pickle maker in Amsterdam.

MING: In Amsterdam, and I hear you even ferment them.

I hope in Holland.

MING: In Holland?

In Europe!

MING: Maybe the world!

So tell me, how long have you been doing pickles?

I'm the third generation.

MING: Third generation!

So 50-plus years, 60 years.

Yeah, the company exists officially 70 years, but it's a little bit longer.

MING: So how many pickles have you brined in your life?

Too much.

MING: Ten million, probably?

Oh, yeah.

MING: At least, at least?

So can you first talk to me about how you do your pickles?

How do you... what's the process?

Well, we have several types of processes.

But at the moment, we're doing pickles in brine.

We fermented them first in the summer, and after fermentation, now we put them in the jars.

MING: And how long do you brine them?

It depends on temperature.

MING: Right.

When it's really hot, it goes faster.

But I think those are about three to four weeks.

MING: Okay.

In the barrel.

MING: And then how do you add flavor to your pickles?

At what point do they...

It depends on the wishes of the customer, but when we do our own, for example, we add some red wine and garlic.

MING: Right.

And some other herbs which are secret, because... MING: Because it's a secret.

(laughs) You don't even know the secret?

Small part, small part.

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

And, but now at the moment, we're producing, for Belgium, a company with a rabbi, and he has his own particular recipe.

MING: Wow, so a true kosher pickle.

100% kosher.

MING: Awesome.

So can we try some?

Of course.

MING: I love the... pick what you want.

Yeah.

MING: I'd love to try the original gherkins, if I can.

And chef, we're going to cook with these pickles, right?

Yeah, yeah.

MING: So, I don't know-- which ones do you like?

I love the onions-- this typical... MING: Can I try one?

It's marinated with lavas.

But you can see that it's nothing in the whole world where you can eat it-- only in Amsterdam.

And it's wonderful.

MING: So good!

So good, tasty.

MING: There's onion, there's sweet, and it's not nearly that strong, right?

I mean, I'm thinking, forget cooking-- let's put it in a martini.

Yeah.

MING (laughing): You don't need to cook it.

So good.

Unbelievable.

(speaking softly) MING: Oh, yeah, can I try some cauliflower?

I'd love to try that.

Yeah, it's also nice, with all the stuff we do with other things.

We do experimentational things.

Sometimes it's disgusting.

MING: Curry.

But most of all, like the cauliflower, we do... We have an idea, we talk together, he going to make it, and it's wonderful.

You have to taste the potato.

MING: I can't believe how many pickles you have.

This is wonderful.

MING: A pickled potato.

Yeah.

MING: First time.

Yeah.

MING: Oh, my God, so good.

It's fantastic.

MING: It's like you have a potato salad ready to go.

You need nothing.

Oh, those spices!

Yeah.

MING: Everything.

Good.

MING: Like, wow!

Small Dutch potatoes.

MING: Cumin, coriander, everything.

It's like a curry paste-- unbelievable.

Can I try the normal, just the regular gherkin?

This?

MING: No, the one in the back.

This one?

MING: Yep.

What do you call these?

Are these just koshers?

This is a real Amsterdam pickle.

MING: So is this, like, your signature pickle?

Yeah, I think so.

MING: Yeah, we'll just split it.

There we go-- there's a juicy pickle.

It's crunchy.

MING: Oh, yeah.

I'm going to cook with this, if that's okay.

Yeah?

MING: That's delicious.

But interesting-- a little bit sweeter than a lot of the pickles stateside, which I like.

I find some pickles are just too tart.

Better balance.

But it's typical Amsterdam.

MING: Really good.

You know Amsterdam was...

I always say Amsterdam is a sour city, because... MING: Right, sour.

After the Second World War, we had more than... more than 20 small pickle companies like us.

MING: This is unbelievable!

Pickled almond?

Almonds, yes.

MING: I've never had that before.

And these bell... are you using the bell peppers or not?

I use it, but not in my restaurant.

MING: Okay, I'm going to use these, too.

So if I can get a bell pepper and this pickle.

This is soybean, edamames?

Oh, my God.

It's great that they still stay crunchy, right?

Yeah, the almond is wonderful.

MING: That is so good.

I really love this.

MING: I love these.

With special herbs.

MING: So what's your...

I see you do more than pickles.

What are these, vinegars and oils?

Yeah, but, well... MING: That's just for fun?

Yeah, for fun, for the shop.

MING: Right.

But our main goal is to make pickles, but not ordinary ones-- only special ones.

MING: Right-- all right, chef, we got to get cooking, right?

So why don't you wrap up what we've got?

I'll wrap some stuff.

MING (speaking Dutch) Thank you.

MING: Congratulations.

Maybe one day we do a kimchi pickle.

That's a good idea.

MING: It's a good idea.

All right, we'll see you at the restaurant.

See you later.

MING: All right, ciao.

All right, Ron, we're here at your gastro bar, called Ron Gastro Bar.

Beautiful-- and this used to be a two-starred Michelin restaurant, right?

Yeah.

MING: And then you converted.

Yeah, six years ago.

MING: That's very admirable.

Most people with two Michelin stars are, like, "You made it."

But you decided to what, have more fun with life?

Yeah, more fun, more, different clients, more, more guests.

MING: Right, and they even spin here, so you actually spin?

Yes, yes, my hobby.

MING: I love it.

You're like Hubert Keller-- he's a chef/DJ.

And you are?

Cindy.

MING: Cindy, Ming Tsai.

Nice to meet you.

Nice to meet you, too.

MING: And you created a cocktail?

What is this cocktail, if I may ask?

It's a real Dutch cocktail.

MING: Okay.

And we just started out here, and so... And, yeah, it's a success, so... MING: Okay, great-- what's all in it?

It's Jenever-- it's typical Dutch.

And we have some lemon juice.

MING: Right.

Some passion fruit.

MING: Okay.

And mango.

MING: And about how... what's the ratio?

Well, about 50 milliliters.

MING: 50 milliliters, okay.

It's one-and-a-half ratio.

MING: Yeah, about one- and-a-half ounce, yep.

And then some... 30 milliliters of lemon juice.

MING: Right.

35, 35, and some coconut cream.

MING: Okay.

All right, let me... And a lot of ice.

MING: All right, I'll give you some ice.

There we go, we'll give it to the lady.

And then... so, Ron, this drink, you serve it because you have Asian influence here, right?

Yeah, I love the Asian influence.

My wife is from Indonesia.

MING: Right.

So I love the taste of the passion fruit, and the mix with Dutch ingredients-- yeah, it's really great.

MING: It's right up my alley.

You have to then add Jenever.

MING: All right, so we add Jenever.

Yep.

MING: So just 30-- you said about 30.

So about a half an ounce of the other stuff.

I'll have some of that-- may I?

Yes, sure.

MING: I see Chef Ron doesn't use a...

He doesn't use a jigger.

Oh, I drink it a lot.

MING: You drink it a lot.

(laughing) So you know, you know what it is.

I have my own special recipe.

And then some coconut cream.

MING: All right, I'll grab a little of this.

Oh, that's lovely.

Is there a significance to that egg, Ron?

What's the egg?

My egg is like... it's like my... Yeah, it's the most important ingredient for me, in my whole life, because an egg is something special.

You can make so much different dishes with it, and it was really, my first dish I make, in my... when I was a chef.

It was like a mousse with a poached egg with crème fraîche.

MING: Awesome, all right.

(ice rattling) All right, that sounds good.

So, you want fresh ice, Cindy?

(laughs): I need gloves!

(they laugh) Get used to it.

Yeah, you have to do it.

I just put it too hard.

(laughing) MING: Cindy's too strong.

Yes!

What did you do with...?

MING: Here, can I help?

Yeah, thanks.

MING: There we go.

Wow, you did crank it in there.

Yeah, I'm too strong.

MING: Yeah, you got it way in there-- I can't get that out!

All right.

Yes.

MING: I don't know what to do.

Good luck with that, Ron-- I know mine comes off.

So that I know.

Okay.

This one with a straw.

MING: All right, what is that?

And some passion fruit.

There you have your cocktail.

MING: Come on, Ron-- you can't get that open, either, huh?

I know, it's crazy.

Oh, hey!

There you go, Cindy.

All right.

Thanks a lot.

MING: There we go.

Good thing you went to the gym, Ron.

Yeah.

MING: So this is fresh passion fruit, which I love.

Yeah.

MING: Do people actually eat it?

I think, also, for Dutch it's really strange, still.

MING: Is it?

All right.

Put some straws.

MING: Prost.

Prost.

Prost.

MING: Prost.

Prost-- enjoy... MING: I already am.

Wow, that's delicious.

Good, eh?

MING: Tastes like the tropics, right?

Tastes like... tastes like we got to go cook some food.

Really, normally you put, like, vodka, but Jenever is... MING: Yeah, Jenever, it's not as harsh, right?

It's more smooth.

Awesome.

Cindy, thank you.

Thank you.

MING: Chef, let's go cook.

Yeah, let's cook.

MING: We're going to go cook.

Chef, what's your dish?

My dish is really one of the specialty of the house.

MING: Okay.

Typical Dutch dish.

Smoked eel, home-smoked eel.

MING: Love it.

With an egg salad, and we smoke it on a table.

MING: Okay.

So it's really... MING: I love it.

The philosophy of the gastrobar is that we use four, five ingredients, and not more.

You know, what you see is what you get.

MING: Awesome, cool.

Can I do anything for you?

Yeah, if you want to cut this, like... and then with some... MING: So take the end off?

Yeah, with some browned butter and make it... MING: How thick, chef?

...more toasted.

MING: Like that?

Little bit thicker.

MING: There?

Yeah.

MING: Okay, perfect.

And then browned butter?

Is here.

MING: Just on it, or on the grill?

Yeah, yeah.

MING: Okay.

Very nice.

Ooh, that looks good.

Nothing's better.

And this brioche you make here?

Yeah, yeah.

MING: Love it.

This is like an egg salad.

Eggs we boiled for seven minutes.

Fresh eggs.

MING: Right.

And then we cut it.

If you want to do the eel, just clean a little bit the fat off, and... MING: Okay.

Just take the fat off here?

Yeah.

MING: Yeah, look at all that.

It's sweetwater eel, so it's more taste in than saltwater.

MING: And then clean this off?

On the side?

Yeah, yeah.

MING: So I have a great smoked eel story.

When I was here in '87... Yeah.

MING: ...you had the Great Tall Ships Festival... Sail.

MING: Yeah, yeah, right, Great Sail.

So this is an awesome festival that has just tons of tall ships everywhere-- three masts, four masts, five masts, unbelievable.

And they would sell bags of smoked eel, right?

And these bags of smoked eel, it was probably, like, ten guilden.

There's no more guilden, so probably, five Euros.

But it was the messiest thing to eat, right?

You get eel grease, oil, skin, everywhere.

Yeah, it's really fat, huh?

MING: You saw parents take the kids, like, "Stay away from these guys."

It was so funny.

That was the most fun I've ever had.

I can imagine the smell.

MING: It was... yeah, yeah, we didn't, we didn't go out and have any luck with the girls, I can tell you that.

They were, like, "You smell like fish."

This egg salad, I put some mayonnaise.

MING: Okay.

Fresh mayonnaise.

Some crème fraîche.

MING: Awesome.

Some... MING: What's that, shallots?

Shallots.

MING: Okay.

Chive.

Chive.

MING: So far so good.

And I have some fresh tarragon.

MING: Oh, tarragon?

Estragon?

Estragon.

MING: All right, chef, I think this looks good for you.

Yeah, wonderful.

MING: I can cook toast.

Yeah.

MING: (laughs) Dutch toast.

MING: Dutch toast.

Okay, that looks good.

Not too much, because, you know, the... MING: So strong, right?

Yeah, it's strong.

And it's, like, you have to taste to detail.

Then we might make a small pocket of dish.

MING: Okay.

So you do it like this.

MING: Nice.

You can get a taste?

MING: Please.

Oh, God, that's so good.

That is so good.

So you smoke this yourself?

Yeah.

MING: Those are freshwater.

Yeah.

MING: Wow, so good.

And then you make a small pocket... MING: Okay.

...with some boiled chive.

MING: Okay.

You want to do that?

MING: Sure.

Oh, one pack, oh, good.

Ah, it's okay-- you can two.

MING: So you go all the way around, all together?

All together.

You make it small, like a bouquet.

MING: Right.

Wait.

MING: And this is, what, pea tendrils?

Right, mustache of the dragon, it's called in Chinese.

Did you know that name?

No.

MING: Because, see this little curlicue?

It looks like a mustache.

Yeah.

MING: So we call it Mustache of the Dragon in Chinese.

So you don't put it too tight, but let it... MING: Okay, you do it-- let's see.

Have a little bit volume.

MING: That's so pretty.

It is four, five ingredients, but... And that is the way we're all cooking, right?

In Europe, in the U.S., simple, right?

Yeah, not too complicated.

Now, then we have some... MING: Oh, the hero, the pickles.

Yeah, the pickles.

MING: Chef, put it in here?

The eel?

Yeah.

No, no, you put this... this one on this.

And then we put the salad on the brioche.

MING: I'll let you do it, I'll let you do it.

These are delicious.

Yeah.

MING: Right, these pickles, I loved every variety they did there.

I love pickles, right?

I mean, most of my chefs like acid, right?

Is wonderful.

Yes, a dish need acid, you know?

This is really... it's a dish with a lot of taste and volume, so you have to put some acid on it to make it more in balance.

MING: Awesome.

Salt, pepper, chef, maybe.

Little bit, little bit.

MING: I see it over there.

Not too much.

MING: Okay.

Because I want to taste the estragon, and also the eel.

MING: Got it.

I think sometimes we put too much salt and pepper.

MING: I agree.

And again, that's where acid is good, right?

Acid makes the flavor come out.

You know, when you eat four, five dishes, then the acid, you need the acid because to make it more balanced.

MING: I so agree.

That looks so good.

You put it up, a little bit like the volume of the brioche.

MING: So, one-to-one ratio.

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

MING: All right, may I?

This goes on top, chef?

Yes.

MING: That's beautiful.

And then we put the rings of the... ...of the onion.

MING: And then you have this amazing contraption.

Yeah, yeah.

MING: Which, if you can explain, chef, what's going on here.

Yeah, this is a smoker.

This is not really for... a little bit for the taste, but also, you know... MING: So put some chips in there?

Yeah, you put some chips.

MING: So, wood chips up top.

Okay.

And we put this.

MING: And cover this?

Yeah.

MING: Okay.

Put it on.

MING: Right.

Light it again, a little bit?

Yeah.

Light it one more.

There it comes.

MING: I love it.

You literally smoke the whole thing.

Yeah.

MING: That's so sexy.

This is also typical Dutch.

In the morning, you see-- when it's a little bit cold, you see, on the rivers, it's wonderful.

And then you...

It's like... MING: That's fantastic.

That's so cool.

It's like a small present.

MING: That looks so cool.

Oh, my God.

All right, before we get to eat this, I'm going to make a quick little dish, as well, using some of the amazing pickles.

Stick around, okay?

Yes, great, great.

MING: Awesome.

Can't wait to eat this.

♪ ♪ All right, I can't wait to try your dish.

That looks phenomenal!

We're doing a beer-batter tempura, but using two of the heroes, two of the pickles.

I just love those pickles.

So, if you could do me planks of that, I'm going to deep-fry them.

And then, actually, do me really thin slices of lemon, okay?

And I'm going to make the tempura batter.

So, it's all-purpose flour and corn starch.

Equal parts of that.

And we have baking powder-- twice as much baking powder as baking soda.

Like this?

MING: Yeah, perfect, chef.

Do me a couple of those for me.

Then I'm going to grab for a beer here, and some scallions.

So, a little bit of scallions in the batter, as well.

And I don't know if you know this, but we're going to add ice, because you want to keep the batter chilly, right?

Yeah.

MING: A good local beer... A chill, the batter more crispy, eh?

MING: Exactly.

So with the, whatever the best local beer you can find-- I.P.A., lager, any of those work.

And this adds a good flavor and sweetness to it, right?

Yeah, it's great.

MING: See, I trained in Osaka, in Japan.

Oh, yeah?

MING: They would use rice flour only, and such a light batter.

And they'd always put a little bit of ice in it.

Yeah, or sparkling water.

MING: Yeah, sparkling water, yeah.

So here, just a couple of cubes, you don't have to go crazy.

But you want this nice and light.

All right, so that's done.

Then what we've got is these fantastic fish here.

So fresh-- head on, right, chef?

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

MING: But I'm just going to take one, so you'll see that right here, you've just got to take out-- it's called evisceration, right?

Just a little bit of guts.

Because, although it's not bad for you, it's just bitter.

Bitter, yeah, but I think you can eat it whole.

MING: You can definitely eat it whole, but take that out.

So that's what we have here.

So what we're going to do is take our fish into the batter.

We're going to take these pickled peppers, which I love, right?

Fry those up, too.

Take your pickles, preferably chopped, and some lemons.

We'll just take the seeds out.

All right.

And this is our batter.

And now we're going to go right into a 350-degree fryer, which is about 180, or... Yeah, 190, 200.

MING: Maybe 190.

All right, let's go fry these up.

Then we'll make a dipping sauce.

All right, chef, so then just get them in your hot oil, and, you know, don't drop them, right?

Put them in softly.

Otherwise, all the... there we go.

You know what?

I'm going to use both fryers because we have it.

You're hungry.

MING: Yeah!

Well, you have fantastic fryers here, so why not?

It's going to pop a little bit, right, because obviously the lemon has fresh juice.

Yeah.

MING: There.

Oh, yeah, that's looking good.

Oh, yeah, babe.

Let this go.

All right, this is going to fry for probably about two more minutes, then we're going to have some G, B, and D. You know what G, B, and D is?

No.

MING: Golden, brown, and delicious.

Two minutes.

All right, chef, so look at that.

G, B, and D after two minutes.

There we go.

Oh, yeah.

Oh, love it.

All right, then, as you know, like French fries, while they're hot, give it a good seasoning.

All right, let's go plate this up.

Come on, chef.

Can't wait.

MING: All right, chef, just pile it up high, I'm going to make a quick dipping sauce.

I'm going to take fresh lemon juice, for the acid, seeds and all, only because I'm then going to take the seeds out.

Your produce is so good here in Holland, right?

Yeah.

MING: Your citrus, your mustache of the dragon-- your pea tendrils.

Love it.

So, a lot of acid here, chef, right?

I want to get...

I think we don't... We use it not too much.

I think we can use more in the kitchen.

MING: Right.

It's a great way to reduce sodium.

So, a little tamari, right?

Wheat-free soy.

I like two-to-one ratio of lemon juice to soy, because I don't want it too tart...

I want it tart-- I don't want it too salty.

There we go, all right.

Chopped chives.

That's it.

We'll put this right here in the middle, dipping sauce.

Wonderful.

MING: Chef, let's go eat, man.

Oh, you're going in!

Yeah.

MING: Okay, we're going in here.

We all right?

We're good.

MING: How do you say it?

(speaking Dutch) MING: No.

What?

MING: G, B, and D. G, B, and D!

MING (laughs): Let's go to the table.

Cheers, chef.

Really looking forward to this.

Oh, my God, look at that dish.

So that's how you serve it to the table, right?

Yeah.

And then... MING: Ah, love it.

Please.

Oh, I'm so excited.

Thank you.

There you go.

Just use your hands on the dipping sauce.

Yeah, first let me taste the sauce.

Mmm.

MING: How was that?

Great.

The pickle's wonderful.

MING: I'll just try this.

Oh, my God.

I love... the eel by itself is fantastic, and you can still taste it, right?

And I love that the eggs and, actually, brioche got a touch smoky.

Grassy and... MING: Yeah!

The eggs are a little bit the balance in the dish.

MING: And I love that it's not too salty.

Usually egg salad is too salty.

But the eel, you don't taste it then.

Mmm, chef, legit.

Let me try one of these pickles here.

Do you fry pickles?

Yeah.

MING: In this country?

Sometimes, not too...

I got to do it.

MING: Please do.

Yeah, it's great.

MING: Love it.

The texture of the crispy and the acid is wonderful.

MING: You're like my brother, because you're doing Asian gastro pub, or Asian gastro bar, and I do an Asian gastro pub.

So you have to come to Boston, right?

Yeah, I do.

MING: I'd love to cook for you at Blue Dragon anytime.

Thank you.

MING: (speaking Dutch) And (speaking Dutch), thank you very much.

And as always, peace and good eating.