Have you ever heard of stoemp? ( spell check keeps wanting to spell stomp) It is one of my favourite ways to eat vegetables and I think most parents are able to trick their kids eating veg by serving them this way.
As part of a series of Belgian dishes posted every first Wednesday of the month, I vow to demystify these uber Belgian classics for you. Step-by-step I will show you what to do, this will have you successfully recreate those gorgeous rustic Belgian flavours.
Stoemp et saucisse, is staple in every Belgian household. Some traditional Belgian restaurants will also have it on the menu. It is mashed potatoes (hence stomp) with carrots served with sausage. It is rather simple but sooo delish.
The secret ingredient for scrumptious boiled carrots is bay leave ( laurier) when steaming the carrots and nutmeg in the mash potatoes.
Make sure you get the potatoes best to make mash, they are more floury than new potatoes. Equal chunks will give you an even cook.
I cut my carrots on bias, 30 degree angle so you have a larger surface than just a straight cut. I like my carrots still to have some crunch but cooked. Steaming them separately from the potatoes gives me more control over the cooking time.
I never boil carrots, always steam to keep all the flavour, vitamins and colour.
Nothing like freshly grated nutmeg, it is one of my favourite spices.
Add as much milk as you like, but do so a little at time, until you get the consistency you like. A little butter is needed to get that silky smoothness.
When I bake my sausage I take a little part of it and make a little test sausage. This one I can cut open when I think the sausages are cooked ( and it never is as I am too impatient) This way I don’t ve to cut into the sausages I am serving to my guests.
I used my gorgeous 19th century platter found at a flea market for 25 euros, I just love it! My Le Creuset blue pot is part of a 3 pot set I bought in Paris for my 30th birthday with my friend Wendy and I never looked back.
My stoemp w carrots and sausage
Yield 4 portions
Ingredients
- 1 kg potatoes for mash
- 4 large carrots
- 3 bay leaves
- 250 ml milk, whole
- 40 gr butter, unsalted
- 1 teaspoon nutmeg, freshly grated
- 4 sausages
- 30 gr butter, unsalted
- salt and pepper
Instructions
- Peel the potatoes and cut in equal chunks, rinse under fresh water and boil in salted water till soft, about 30 minutes.
- Peel the carrots, slice on bias an steam them with the by leaves till soft yet retain a little crunch, about 7 minutes.
- Drain the potatoes and with a masher, stomp the potatoes while adding a little milk at time, making a smooth puree. add thee butter and the nutmeg. Taste and season with salt and pepper.
- Add the carrots and carefully fold them in. Reserve.
- Bake the sausages in the butter and serve with the stoemp. Pour over the juices from the pan.
Notes
on www.leeksandhighheels.com by Sandra Slawinski
Written and photographed by Sandra Slawinski without commercial deals.
