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Stoemp with leeks and spinach
Brussels stoemp: buttery mash with leeks and spinach, topped with a fried egg
Stoemp (from the Brussels dialect word for 'to mash') is what Brussels brasseries such as those around the Marolles serve on cold days: potatoes crushed together with whatever vegetable is in season, rich with butter and nutmeg. Unlike Dutch stamppot, the vegetables are usually cooked separately and softened in butter first, which gives a sweeter, silkier mash. Leek and spinach is one of the most popular versions in Brussels, and a fried egg with a runny yolk on top turns it into supper. The meat versions come with sausages; this is meat-free. Chef's tip: cook the leeks slowly in butter until they almost melt; quick-fried leeks stay stringy and squeaky in the mash.
- Total time
- 45 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
Method
0/7 doneStep 1: Put 2 ¼ lb potatoes in cold water with half of ¾ tsp salt, bring to the boil over a high heat and simmer for 18–20 minutes, until completely tender.
20 minStep 2: Meanwhile melt half of 1 oz butter in a wide pan over a medium-low heat. Add 3 leeks with a pinch of salt and cook gently, stirring often, for 15 minutes until very soft and sweet but not brown.
15 minStep 3: Add 7 oz spinach and stir for 2 minutes until it collapses. Tip into a sieve and press out the excess liquid.
2 minStep 4: Drain the potatoes and let them steam dry for a minute. Add the rest of 1 oz butter and ½ cup whole milk and crush them roughly. Stoemp should stay a little rustic, not smooth like a purée.
Step 5: Fold in the leeks and spinach with ¼ tsp ground nutmeg, ½ tsp black pepper and the remaining salt. Keep warm over a very low heat.
Step 6: Heat 1 tbsp sunflower oil in a frying pan over a medium heat and fry 4 eggs for 3–4 minutes, until the whites are set and the edges are crisp and lacy but the yolks still wobble.
4 minStep 7: Serve the stoemp in mounds with an egg on top, so the yolk runs into the mash.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 390 kcal
- Protein
- 14 g
- Carbs
- 42 g
- Fat
- 19 g
- Fibre
- 6 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does stoemp with leeks and spinach take?
- About 45 minutes in total: 15 minutes to prepare and 30 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 4 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegetarian?
- Yes. It has no meat or fish.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- What can I use instead of potatoes?
- Sweet potato, same weight (sweeter, cooks a little faster).
- What can I use instead of butter?
- The same weight of ghee or coconut oil (for frying and most baking).
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