Unwanted Animals (and Plants) on your Christmas Menu

They are sometimes called pests or invasive alien species. A more friendly term is “unwanted animal”. Millions of American crayfish are currently overrunning rivers in the Netherlands, and millions of geese strip meadows bare in the winter. There is a long list of wild animals, of which there are too many, and the government permits hunters and fishers to shoot or catch. These may as well serve as food.

According to Animal Rights Nederland, over one million wild animals are culled annually in the Netherlands. In 2019, some 330,000 geese, 200,000 doves, 100,00 crows, 100,000 ducks, 86,000 hares and thousands of rabbits, deer and pheasants were killed. Many of the latter end up as game on the menu, as do the several thousand boars that are shot on the Veluwe each year. However, the animals at the top of this list are seldom found at the butcher’s or supermarket and are often discarded. After all, who would want to eat crow? Well, apparently, they are delicious.

American crayfish from the Netherlands

So, what will we serve for Christmas? According to Wageningen animal ecologist Fabrice Ottburg, we must certainly include the American crayfish. This exotic species is rampant in the Netherlands and very tasty in a salad or pasta. Beware, though, that various supermarkets offer crayfish, but these are generally peeled, packaged, and imported from China. Those wanting to sample the exotic species found in Dutch rivers must find somewhere to buy the live crayfish. These suppliers are generally found in and around the Green Heart, where the crayfish are a true plague. You buy the live crayfish there, cook and peel it, and process it in your dish.

Wat gaan we dan op het Kerstmenu zetten? Volgens de Wageningse dierecoloog Fabrice Ottburg moeten we in elk geval de Amerikaanse rivierkreeft gaan eten. Deze zeer schadelijke exoot is volop aanwezig in Nederland en erg smakelijk, bijvoorbeeld in een salade of pasta. Let wel op: meerdere supermarkten verkopen rivierkreeft, maar dit is meestal geïmporteerde rivierkreeft uit China, keurig gepeld en verpakt. Wie de Nederlandse exoot wil eten, moet op zoek naar ‘een adresje’ waar ze levende rivierkreeft verkopen. Die leveranciers van verse rivierkreeft zitten doorgaans in en rond het Groene Hart, waar ze een enorme plaag vormen. Je haalt ze daar op, waarna je de kreeft kookt, pelt en daarna in het gerecht verwerkt.

A recent study conducted by Wageningen Environmental Research revealed the possible presence of heavy metals, dioxins and PCBs in crayfish, particularly in the heads. If the creatures are peeled correctly, you eat only the tail part, of which the contamination is well below the threshold values.

• Rivierkreeften in beeld : verkenning naar verontreinigingen in rivierkreeften uit het beheergebied van Hoogheemraadschap Delfland

WUR contributes to the knowledge platform crayfish, which provides additional information on this exotic animal in Dutch rivers and creeks. You can find suppliers who sell fresh crayfish here. An excellent address is that of professional fishers Jan and Ramona de Waard in Lekkerkerk! Looking for a good recipe? Try this crayfish boil or this pasta recipe.

Unwanted fish

Those wanting to prepare a Christmas dish with unwanted fish may select species such as the asp, round goby and bighead goby. Ottburg explains that these species are an ecological nuisance but are not caught for consumption. The asp is a carp-like fish from Eastern Europe and is not very popular among fish-eaters, but when properly marinated, it serves well as an oven dish. The round goby also originates in Eastern Europe and forms a threat to indigenous fish species. According to Ottburg, the Wels catfish is worth keeping an eye on. Currently still protected, the species is starting to become a plague in the Netherlands and may well be added to the menu in a few years.

Goose, boar or crow?

There are several options for the main course of meat—those who prefer to play it safe select goose. Geese are culled in large numbers, as the Netherlands has some 2.5 million geese in the winter and some 630,000 geese in the summer. The exotic Egyptian goose is common but is barely sold for consumption. The indigenous greylag goose, greater white-fronted goose and the barnacle goose also for a nuisance -by eating meadows bare, excrement and dispelling other birds- and these animals are killed for consumption. Many game butchers offer geese, but you can also buy goose filets online, for example, at Jager en Boer. Where pigeons and wild boar are also on offer.

There are exciting options for those wanting to try something other than goose or boar. Ottburg suggests the crow. Crows are hunted because they are predators of meadow birds and their eggs and are considered a true delicacy by connoisseurs. Star-awarded restaurant Eden in Valkenswaard serves crows as they consider it a waste to simply discard the dead birds. The chef buys the crows from hunters. Those wishing to try a crow will have to find a hunting club nearby.

The second unusual option Ottburg suggests is the muntjac. This small deer originates in South-East Asia and forms a plague in England. The species is now also settling on the European mainland and could easily oust deer and become a plague, nature conservationists in Belgium and Noord-Brabant province state. Here, the same advice applies: find a hunting club that hunts this species.

The third option is to eat the excess large grazers from nature reserves such as the Oostvaardersplassen. These include red deer, Konik horses and oxen. The meat obtained from these animals is frequently sold by the nature conservation organisation responsible. One supplier is Grutto, but Google searches for ARK and Free Nature will also yield results.

Once the unwanted fish and meat have been selected, you may wish to find a recipe for accompanying grains and vegetables. Can we add unwanted plants (weeds) to the plant-based ingredients? Sure we can!

Sorbet with Japanese knotweed

There are many edible weeds. We chose gout weed for this occasion. This weed is known as one of the most persistent weeds among amateur gardeners. It is nicknamed gardener’s sorrow (in Dutch). A lesser-known fact is that the weed contains vitamin C, carotene, potassium, calcium and magnesium and is well suited to be prepared like spinach. Moreover, it can be harvested and cooked throughout the year.

For this Christmas dinner, we make a fresh salad from gout weed combined with carrots, cabbage, bell peppers and sunflower seeds, with olive oil, honey and mustard dressing.

For dessert, we have sorbets made of Japanese knotweed. This exotic plant is considered one of the Netherlands’ most invasive species as it overruns local plants through its growing power. Once rooted, it
is very difficult to get rid of.