Dutch stew hutspot
4 servings
240 minutes
Hutspot is a Dutch variation of meat stew. It contains beef, potatoes, onions, carrots and spices - nothing unusual. But there is a legend: in order to lift the Spanish blockade of the city of Leiden in 1574, the Dutch opened the dams. The Spaniards were washed away by the water, and a huge cauldron of hutspot remained in their camp. The inhabitants of Leiden ate it until help arrived.
1
Place the meat in a large thick-walled pot and pour in 1.25 liters of water.
- Beef brisket: 800 g
2
Add salt, bay leaf, sage, and nutmeg flower. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to minimum, and simmer covered for 3 hours. Turn the meat halfway through cooking.
- Salt: to taste
- Bay leaf: 2 pieces
- Sage leaves: 3 pieces
- Mace: 1 piece
3
Cut the peeled potatoes into large pieces.
4
Cut the carrot into large pieces.
5
Chop the onion finely.
6
Melt butter in a pan and sauté the onion with a pinch of salt until golden brown. This will take 6-8 minutes.
- Butter: 55 g
- Onion: 3 heads
- Salt: to taste
7
Remove the bay leaf, nutmeg flower, and sage from the pot with meat, add peeled and coarsely chopped potatoes and carrots, and sautéed onions. The broth should cover the vegetables and meat; add water if necessary. Bring to a boil and simmer covered on low heat for 30 minutes. The vegetables should become soft.
- Bay leaf: 2 pieces
- Mace: 1 piece
- Sage leaves: 3 pieces
- Potato: 1 kg
- Carrot: 1 kg
- Onion: 3 heads
8
Remove the meat from the pot and discard about 500 ml of broth.
9
Mash the vegetables into a coarse puree with lumps, adding broth if necessary.
10
Add salt and pepper to taste.
- Salt: to taste
- Ground black pepper: to taste
11
Serve the puree with thin slices of boiled meat.