It is a simple and humble dish, where potatoes are mashed with other veggies and topped with smoked sausage. But somehow this flavor combination works perfectly. If you’re looking for a new cozy winter meal, here it is… This is a recipe that’s been on my “to cook” list for nearly as long as GypsyPlate has existed. We had plenty of extra potatoes in the pantry after the holidays, so the time had finally arrived. Similar to Irish Colcannon or English Bubble and Squeak, this dish features a mashed combination of potatoes and vegetables. The unique part that caught my eye was the addition of sausage on top. There are many variations, which I will tell you about later in the post. Today, I am making Boerenkool (curly kale) Stamppot, which is one of the most common mixtures.
Ingredients
Potatoes Kale Shallots Garlic Butter Milk Seasonings – Bay leaves, salt, pepper and nutmeg. Sausage – The traditional choice is a Dutch smoked pork sausage called rookworst. You’re probably not going to find that at your corner grocery store, I sure didn’t. In its place, I used Polish kielbasa, which is considered a good substitute.
How to make Stamppot
I am going to give you two methods. The second is more traditional (and frankly, easier). First I will tell you the method I use, which allows the flavor of the kale to stand out more.
Method 1
Frist, I cut the potatoes into one inch cubes and add them to a large pot. I fill the pot with cold water until the potatoes are covered, and add salt and bay leaves. Then I bring it to a boil and cook for about 20 minutes, or until potatoes are soft, then drain them and remove the bay leaves. Meanwhile, I heat a little butter or oil in a skillet over medium heat. I add the chopped shallots and garlic and cook for a minute or two. Then I add the kale along with ¼ cup of water and steam until the kale is soft. The water will dry out and need to be replenished, so keep an eye on it. I then mash the potatoes along with butter, milk, salt, pepper and nutmeg. Once smooth, I stir in the kale mixture. Cook the sausage according to your preferred method. I usually sauté it in the same pan as the kale (after it had been removed), unless the weather is nice, in which case I grill it. T serve, I scoop a generous heap of the stamppot, top with sliced sausage, and give each serving a nice drizzle of olive oil.
Method 2
Chop potatoes into one inch cubes, roughly chop the shallots, peel the garlic and cut the kale into ½ inch strips. Add them to a large pot, cover with cold water, add salt and bay leaves and bring to a boil. Cook for about 20 minutes until the veggies are soft. While the veggies are boiling, grill, steam or sauté the sausage. Drain off the water and remove the bay leaves. Add in butter, milk, salt, pepper and nutmeg. Mash everything with a hand masher. Serve, top with sliced sausage, and give each serving a drizzle of olive oil.
Stamppot variations
One of the oldest variations is hutspot, which is a mash of potatoes, carrots and onions. Zuurkoolstamppot features potatoes and sauerkraut. Some regional variations use fruit along with the potatoes. Some examples are blauwe bliksem (blue lightning), made with pears, and hete bliksem (hot lightning), made with apples. In addition to sausage (or sometimes instead of), other garnishings can include bacon, fish, stewed meat, cheese or nuts. Sometimes an indentation is made in the top and gravy is added, referred to as kuiltje jus (little gravy pit). I love this version, it’s a lot like our mashed potatoes and gravy!
So there you go, comfort food all the way from the Netherlands! I spent a few weeks there as a teenager, when my dad was working on a project in Rotterdam. If only I had known about this dish then, I probably would have ordered it all the time! There are so many great dishes to try out there. We just love bringing these recipes to you, because eating delicious new foods is one of the great pleasures in life. If you try this, please leave a comment and a star rating, I love hearing from you. And be sure to subscribe to the GypsyPlate mailing list, we’re always cooking up new recipes for you!
Dutch Stamppot, on our Gypsy Plate… enjoy!
Check out these other great European recipes!Finnish Salmon SoupUkrainian BorschtHungarian GoulashWelsh RarebitDublin CoddleSwedish MeatballsCurrywurst
