Stoemp
Photo: Simon Aughton · CC BY-SA 2.0

History

Stoemp emerged in 19th-century Brussels as a working-class kitchen-economy dish, mashing whatever vegetables were cheap and to hand into potatoes. The word is Brusseleir slang for 'mash'. The Marolles and Anderlecht canteens preserved the tradition through the post-war decades, and stoemp remains a cold-weather brasserie staple paired with sausage or roast pork.

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Common allergens: Dairy

Make it at home

Yield 4Hands-on 30 minTotal 50 minDifficulty Easy

Ingredients

  • 1 kg floury potatoes, peeled and chopped
  • 500g carrots, sliced
  • 1 onion, chopped
  • 2 cloves garlic
  • 100g unsalted butter
  • 100ml double cream
  • 1 sprig thyme, 1 bay leaf
  • Grated nutmeg
  • Salt, black pepper
  • 4 sausages (Belgian boudin or pork-and-leek)

Method

  1. Boil potatoes in salted water until soft, about 20 minutes.
  2. Meanwhile, melt butter in a pan and sweat onion and garlic until soft. Add carrots, thyme, bay, and 200ml water.
  3. Cover and braise carrots for 25 minutes until completely soft.
  4. Drain potatoes and mash roughly. Mash the carrots into the potatoes; the texture should stay coarse.
  5. Stir in cream, nutmeg and additional butter to taste. Season generously with pepper.
  6. Pan-fry sausages in a separate pan until golden. Serve on top of the stoemp.

Tip from the editors. Keep the mash rough. Stoemp should never be smooth; the carrot pieces give the dish its character.

Where to eat stoemp

Stoemp in Brussels

Brasserie Ploegmans ★ 4.1

€€ Belgian BrasserieMarolles

Brasserie Ploegmans in Brussels' Marolles is the wood-panelled local that runs Belgian standards: meatballs, shrimp croquettes, choucroute garnie.

OrderCarbonnade flamande with frites, and a Westvleteren 12 if it is on the board.

TipClosed Monday. Book ahead for Sunday lunch when the Jeu de Balle flea market is in full swing.

Directions

Au Stekerlapatte ★ 4.0

€€ Belgian

Au Stekerlapatte is side-street marolles bistro where locals eat boudin noir with caramelised apples on the same wood-panelled banquettes since 1974.

Why locals goSide-street Marolles bistro where locals eat boudin noir with caramelised apples on the same wood-panelled banquettes since 1974.

TipClosed Sunday. Open evenings only; the dining room fills with regulars night after night.

Directions

Volle Gas ★ 3.9

€€ Belgian BrasserieIxelles

Volle Gas in Brussels' Ixelles is a 1924 Art Deco brasserie on Place Fernand Cocq. Kitchen leans belgian brasserie. At Place Fernand Cocq 21.

OrderWhichever mussel preparation looks new on the chalkboard, with frites and a Tripel Karmeliet.

TipOpen seven days, kitchen runs late. The Art Deco interior is the seat; book the corner banquette.

Directions Book

Au Vieux Saint Martin ★ 4.3

€€ BelgianUntil Daily 00:00

Au Vieux Saint Martin in Brussels' Sablon runs a continuous service from noon to midnight, every day. Filet americain prepared at the table.

TryFilet americain

Directions

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