Boerenkool Stamppot (Kale Mash Pot)

Stamppot, which translates to "mash pot", is a traditional Dutch dish that consists of some combination of potato and vegetables that have been cooked and ...wait for it... mashed together.  Sometimes it's flavored with smoky bacon, but most often it is served with smoked sausage.

I've heard that it can be served as a side dish.  I think if you simply add bacon lardons for flavoring, that would work, but really, once you fold in slices of smoked sausage, I would consider it a main course.  Often,  whole links of smoked sausage are boiled right along with the potatoes and other veggies.  It is then removed and sliced and stirred back in once you drain and mash the veggies.  I can imagine the delicious flavor that this adds to the cooking liquid, but I really like my smoked sausage fried so that it picks up that extra flavor from caramelizing the outsides, so I chose not to boil it.  The seasoned fat still gets mixed in nicely once they are combined.

This is the first dish on my alphabetical culinary journey through Europe, which in case you hadn't guessed, is starting off in the Netherlands.  Okay tell me, is it the Netherlands or The Netherlands?  I struggle with which way to write it every single time.  Ping-pong in my head.  I think it's just "the".

In a word?  I absolutely loved it.  Well, technically that's four words.  But the sentiment remains the same.  I don't know much about the Netherlands, but I would love to visit one day.  Especially if I can find some good, salt-of-the-earth, comfort food like this Boerenkool Stamppot, or Kale Mash Pot.  Do you have any favorite dishes from the Netherlands?

Boerenkool Stamppot (Kale Mash Pot)

This traditional Dutch recipe is a combination of mashed potatoes and kale studded with smoked sausage.

by Heather Schmitt-González

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 25 minutes

Keywords: boil entree kale potatoes sausage Netherlands

Ingredients (serves 2)

• 1 1/2 pounds potatoes, peeled & cut into chunks
• 12 ounces kale, thick stems removed & chopped (weight after stemming)
• 1 small onion, peeled & cut into chunks
• 1 small bay leaf
• salt
• freshly ground black pepper
• 1/4 cup milk
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temp.
• 8 ounces smoked sausage

Instructions

Add the potatoes, onion, kale, a bay leaf, a pinch of salt and just enough water to cover all in a medium-sized pot. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat a bit a simmer until potatoes are tender, ~25 minutes.

Slice the smoked sausage on the bias, and then sauté until golden. Set aside.

Drain the veggies and remove the bay leaf. Place back in pot with milk and butter; mash or whip with hand mixer. Taste and adjust seasoning, if necessary. Stir in the smoked sausage.

adapted from Food.com

Our first stop on this European Community Culinary ABC's journey is the Netherlands.  Hosting this month is Mony from Gata Da Plar with A is for Appeltart.  If you'd like to join us on this journey, we'll be in the Netherlands until January 27!