Arenque nuevo holandés con aderezo de gofre japonés, por Bart van Olphen

Some recipes seem almost too simple on paper to be special. A few tablespoons of sauce here, some spring onion there, herring on top, and you're done. Until you taste it. Then it suddenly turns out that simplicity and a whole lot of flavor can go together perfectly. This herring with waffle dressing by Bart van Olphen is the perfect example of that. Fresh, salty, nutty, and full of umami, with just enough acidity to really wake everything up.

Another nice thing: this isn't a dish you have to spend half an afternoon in the kitchen preparing. On the contrary. Within a few minutes, something chic and surprising is on the table.

Perfect as an appetizer if you have guests and don't want to start with something heavy right away, but also ideal as a snack with a cold drink. It is no coincidence that pickle king Oos Kesbeke's reaction was crystal clear when Bart van Olphen let him taste this: “We don't need to beat around the bush about this, it's simply delicious.”

The rich flavor of Dutch New Herring takes on a very lively quality thanks to the Japanese wafu dressing. Sesame oil provides depth and nuttiness, rapeseed oil keeps everything light, rice vinegar ensures freshness, and mirin adds a touch of sweetness. Soy sauce finishes it off with umami. Together, this forms a dressing that tastes much bigger than the ingredient list suggests.

Herring with waffle dressing

• In a bowl, mix the sesame oil, rapeseed oil, rice vinegar, mirin, and soy sauce into a smooth dressing. You don't need to whip this up in a complicated way; just stir well until everything combines nicely.
• Divide the pieces of Dutch New Herring between a platter or two plates. Spoon the dressing generously over them, so that the fish is coated with it everywhere.
• Sprinkle the spring onions and black sesame seeds over it. Serve immediately, preferably well chilled.