Stoemp met Witloof en Spekjes
A hearty Belgian mashed potato dish ('stoemp') enriched with braised endives (witloof) and crispy bacon bits (spekjes), offering a comforting blend of creamy, slightly bitter, and savory flavors.
🧂 Ingredients
- 1 kg Potatoes(starchy variety, peeled and quartered)
- 4 medium Belgian endives (witloof)(trimmed, halved lengthwise, and cored)
- 150 g Bacon (spekjes)(diced)
- 50 g Butter
- 100 ml Milk(warmed)
- 1/4 tsp Nutmeg(freshly grated)
- to taste Salt
- to taste Black pepper
👨🍳 Instructions
- 1
Place the quartered potatoes in a large pot, cover with cold salted water, and bring to a boil. Cook for 15-20 minutes, or until fork-tender.
- 2
While potatoes are cooking, place the diced bacon in a cold skillet and cook over medium heat until crispy. Remove bacon with a slotted spoon and set aside on paper towels, leaving the rendered fat in the skillet.
- 3
Add the halved endives to the bacon fat in the skillet. Cook for about 5-7 minutes per side until lightly browned and starting to soften.
- 4
Add a splash of water (about 50ml) to the skillet with the endives, cover, and braise over low heat for about 10-15 minutes, until tender. Season with salt and pepper.
- 5
Drain the cooked potatoes well. Mash them in the pot with the butter and warmed milk until smooth and creamy. Season with salt, pepper, and freshly grated nutmeg.
- 6
Gently fold the braised endives and most of the crispy bacon into the mashed potatoes. Be careful not to mash the endives too much.
- 7
Serve the stoemp hot, garnished with the remaining crispy bacon bits.
💡 Pro Tips
- ✓Use starchy potatoes for the best mashing consistency.
- ✓To prevent endives from becoming too bitter, ensure you core them properly.
- ✓Adjust the amount of milk to achieve your desired stoemp consistency.
✨ Twist Ideas
Inspiration for your own version of this recipe
- Add a dollop of mustard to the mashed potatoes for an extra kick.
- Incorporate other vegetables like leeks or carrots into the stoemp.
- For a vegetarian version, omit the bacon and sauté the endives in butter or olive oil.