Dutch Sausage and Mash

Wotchers!

As the chilly weather sets in, I thought I would bring you a hearty and comforting meal that has the added bonus of being ready in 15 minutes if necessary. It has its origins in a traditional Dutch meal of ‘Boerenkool Stamppot met Worst’ (kale mash with sausage), but as with several other Dutch-esque meals I make (see also Dutch Meatballs, Dutch Pea Soup), it has been adapted to ingredients available here in the UK. Stamppot goes back hundreds of years and is the original one-pot meal, in that everything used to be simmered in the same vessel, presumably a cauldron dangling over an open fire: potatoes on the bottom, then a layer of kale above, and finally the sausage heated through on the top, The water should cover only the potatoes, the other ingredients cooking in the steam.

A major attraction of stamppot is that it is almost infinitely customisable. 

British cooking has a link to one variation, known as hutspot in Dutch, in the form of ‘hodgepodge’. The Dutch version is a one-pot mixture of potatoes on the bottom, carrots and onions, which is then all mashed together when cooked and drained. Interestingly, in The Netherlands the preferred type of carrots for this dish are winterwortel/winterpeen; large, end of season carrots that have their own special flavour. We like it as a side dish, but it too can be cooked and served with cuts of beef that benefit from long, slow cooking. The Dutch cut of meat is usually klapstuk, which, if I’m honest, I’m not 100% sure of where it comes from. Somewhere rib-adjacent is about as close as I get, but flank, skirt and brisket are good approximations also.

But I digress. Back to stamppot.

There are just four ingredients: potatoes, ‘greens’, sausage and gravy.

• Potatoes: Floury potatoes are preferred, Maris Piper are a good variety. I usually bake the potatoes, for two reasons. a) I’m the only one here who likes potato skins, so I get them all, and b) it makes for a nice ‘dry’ cooked potato. You can boil them, of course, and if you’re in a hurry, zap them in the microwave for 10 minutes. Cold potatoes from a previous meal can also be used. I’ve not tried it with sweet potato, but don’t let that dissuade you if it appeals. Finally, the important detail is that the potato remain unadorned. No butter, no milk/cream, no seasonings; the gravy will provide. Then again, its your meal; go wild.
• Greens: Traditionally, this is kale, but it can be tricky in the UK to find kale that has not already been shredded. And it has to be unshredded, because the leaves need to be separated from the hard, woody stems. Unhelpfully, a lot of bagged kale is shredded WITH the stems, so unless you’re willing to go through and cut out the stem pieced from each shred (been there, done that, do not recommend), opt for one of the other choices. And there are so many! I’ve served this made with kale, cavolo nero, Brussels sprouts, spinach, white cabbage, Savoy cabbage (current favourite), sweetheart cabbage (also very good), chopped French beans, chopped runner beans, broccoli, leeks and spring onions.
• Sausage: The traditional style is smoked, but there’s no reason why regular British bangers can’t be your sausage of choice, although unless you have some leftover from a previous meal, cooking them may add to the overall prep time. Himself’s favourite smoked sausage is that sold by the Dutch department store Hema. Unfortunately, is it currently unavailable due to production issues. We couldn’t get it here, so I have always substituted a well known brand (Mattessons) of U-shaped smoked sausage which can be stored in a cupboard, despite being sold in the chillers aisle. These come in both large and smaller sizes, as well as lighter/lower fat versions, and are served (in this household) whole, as in the picture above. Feel free to slice them up and fold them into the potato/greens mixture for an easy all-in-one dish.
• Gravy. As with the other ingredients, pretty much anything goes in this department. However, in this house, there are Firm Views™ on the style of gravy: some prefer it to originate from a Dutch sachet of instant Jus, others opt for Bisto (the red one, not the pretentious brown one, as I learned to my cost). It is the very ‘instant’ nature of both these choices is admired and relished and all other styles are shunned. You do you.

Dutch Sausage and Mash

floury baking potatoes 1-2 per person
Savoy cabbage – 4/5 leaves per person
smoked sausage – 1 per person
gravy granules

• The Leisurely Way
  • Put the potatoes in the oven and turn the heat to 200C, 180C Fan. Bake for 60-90 minutes, depending on size.
  • Remove the stem from the cabbage leaves and discard. Shred the leaves finely.
  • When the potatoes are cooked, steam the shredded cabbage for 4 minutes. This will preserve both colour and texture. If you don’t have a steamer pan, just drop the cabbage shreds into boiling water for 4 minutes, and either fish it out with a strainer, or drain and save the water for the gravy.
  • Remove the sausage(s) from the outer packaging and pierce the clear packaging four or five times with a sharp knife. Microwave for 1-2 minutes, depending on size.
  • Scoop the cooked potato from the skins into a large bowl. We prefer to leave it in random-sized pieces, but you can press it through a ricer if you prefer it lighter.
  • Stir through the cooked, drained cabbage.
  • Use the hot water from cooking the cabbage to mix the gravy.
  • Lay a ring of potato and cabbage into a dish, leaving a well in the middle. Sidebar: #TodayILearned that this is called the kuiltje jus – little gravy pit.
    
  • Remove the packaging from the heated sausage and lay on top of the vegetables.
  • Fill the centre well with gravy and also drizzle over the sausage.
  • Serve.
• To serve in 15 minutes for one – slightly longer for more people, since the greater the potato numbers, the longer the zapping required.
  • Microwave the potatoes for 10 minutes, turning them upside-down after 5 minutes to ensure even cooking.
  • The rest of the prep should be done as soon as the potatoes are started.
  • Steam/blanch the cabbage for 5 minutes.
  • Zap the sausage while the potato/cabbage mixture is being scooped/mixed.
  • Use the hot water from cooking the cabbage to mix the gravy while the sausage is being heated.
  • Bring everything together as above.