Boerenkool Stamppot

4 Servings

A Dutch comfort food: smoked sausage and a potato-kale mash. Switch it up by substituting other vegetables for the kale: broccoli, carrots, turnip, cabbage, whatever strikes your fancy.

 

Ingredients:

1 1/4 cups chicken broth or water
1/2 tsp salt
2 lbs russet potatoes, peeled and cut in 1 1/2” pieces
1/2 cup diced onion (optional)
1 large bunch kale, finely chopped
1 to 1 1/2 lbs smoked sausage, any kind
2 - 4 Tbsp butter
2 Tbsp vinegar
salt and pepper to taste
1/2 - 1 cup crisp bacon bits (optional)

Directions:

Put the broth or water in the Instant Pot. (1 1/4 cups liquid is plenty, even in an 8-quart pot because the kale gives up some liquid as it cooks.) Add the salt, potatoes, onion and shredded kale, in that order. Lay the smoked sausage on top of the kale.

Close the lid and set the valve to Sealing. Push Pressure Cook (or Manual) and adjust time using the + or - button to get to 8 minutes. When it beeps that it's done, flip the valve to Venting for a quick release. When the pin drops, open the pot. 

Transfer the sausage to a plate and cover with tin foil or an inverted bowl. Drain the potatoes and kale, reserving about 1/2 cup of the liquid. Do not return the liner into the Instant Pot base. Set it on the counter. 

Mash the potatoes and kale together with about half the reserved cooking liquid. Add a little more liquid if desired. Add the butter, vinegar and salt and pepper to taste. Stir in the crisp bacon if using. Serve piles of the potato/kale mash with slices or chunks of sausage on top.

Be sure to have a vase of lovely tulips on the dinner table to honour my Dutch mother-in-law who taught me to love this dish.