The Export Barrier
Based on:
TypeSalad
Serves4 people
DateAugust 29, 2026
A salad as a border: green beans form the export barrier, everything stays solemnly on the British side.
A precisely plated salad with a vertical row of upright green beans as a symbolic 'border post', flanked by British and Dutch ingredients. The setup refers to the export ban keeping Rembrandt’s work in the country.
Ingredients
- 400 g green beans (snijbonen)
- 1 head little gem lettuce
- 200 g smoked salmon
- 2 boiled eggs
- 200 g new potatoes
- 100 g cherry tomatoes
- 2 tbsp capers
- 4 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tbsp white wine vinegar
- 1 tsp wholegrain mustard
- salt and pepper
Method
- Slice the green beans lengthwise, blanch for 3 minutes in salted water, and cool in cold water.
- Boil the potatoes in their skins, let cool, and slice.
- Halve the cherry tomatoes. Quarter the eggs.
- Wash and dry the little gem, separate the leaves.
- Whisk a dressing from olive oil, vinegar, mustard, salt, and pepper.
- Arrange the little gem leaves as a base on a large platter.
- On one side, arrange the potato slices, salmon, tomatoes, egg quarters, and capers.
- In the center, set up a precise vertical row of upright green beans as a barrier.
- Drizzle everything with dressing, leaving the green beans dry for contrast.
Serving notes
- Serve on a large rectangular plate for maximum barrier effect.
- Stand the green beans upright, neatly aligned.
- Do not let the dressing cross the 'barrier'.