Dutch Stamppot with Merguez Sausage

This Dutch dish is a very simple one but very tasty, it is basically mashed potatoes and vegetables. In Holland it is sometimes served with Rookwurst (a smoky Dutch sausage) but we used Merguez which is a North African spicy sausage. If you cannot find Merguez you can also use fresh chorizo if you like or even Cumberland sausages. Traditionally the potatoes are boiled apart but recently potatoes and veg have been boiled together and then mashed. Dutch people love making a hole in the middle of the mashed veg and pouring gravy in it. This dish is very similar to Bubble & Squeak (in England) and Colcannon (in Ireland). It is quite a filling dish and very easy to prepare. You will need...

• 500g potatoes, diced
• 400g pumpkin or butternut squash, diced
• 4 medium carrots, sliced
• 2 large parsnips, sliced
• 1 large turnip or swede, chopped
• 1 leek, washed and sliced
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 200g kale or Savoy cabbage, washed and shredded
• 50g butter
• Salt & pepper, to taste
• 4-6 Merguez sausages [or Cumberland sausages]

1. Place all the chopped vegetables, apart from the kale in a large steam pot and steam for 20 minutes. [Alternatively, boil the vegetables].
2. Cook the sausages to your liking, we grilled ours. 
3. Whilst the sausages are cooking, steam the kale for 7½ minutes.
4. When the vegetables are cooked, drain well and roughly mash them with the butter, salt & pepper. Add the steamed kale and stir in the mashed vegetables.
5. Serve the mash in the middle of the plate and top with the cooked sausages. You can also serve with gravy or a spicy chilli & tomato sauce!

Enjoy!!

R&A

Caribbean Halo

Who doesn't love a piece of delicious and moist cake? We made this cake yesterday and it turned out a super hit. It is absolutely divine and heavenly. We used fresh coconut, which made it even better tasting and obviously that wee bit of booze just gives it that kick. We named it Caribbean Halo for obvious reasons, sweet banana, exotic pineapple, fragrant coconut, rum turn this cake into a tempting delight. You will need...

• 280g [2 cups] plain flour
• 100g [½ cup] caster sugar
• 1 tsp baking powder
• ½ tsp bicarbonate of soda
• 1 banana
• 400g can pineapple cubes in own juice (weight including juice)
• 1 cup fresh coconut flesh, chopped or 2 tbsp desiccated coconut
• 1 tbsp raisins
• 1 tot rum or brandy

1. Preheat the oven to 190°C.
2. In a blender or food processor, blend the banana, rum or brandy, pineapple with juice and coconut for about 20-30 seconds until the coconut pieces get smaller. If using desiccated coconut you can omit the use of a blender and use a masher to mash everything instead.
3. In a large bowl sift the flour, add the sugar, baking powder and bicarbonate of soda and mix them with a wooden spoon. Add the fruit mixture and raisins to the bowl and mix well until all the ingredients are well incorporated.
4. Pour into a well greased Bundt pan and bake into the preheated oven for 35 minutes.
5. Take out of the oven and let the cake rest in the tin for 15 minutes and then turn onto a cooling rack.

Enjoy!!

R&A