Endive Stamppot with Bacon

Peel the potatoes, cut into even chunks, and place in a pot. Cover with 1500 ml of water, season with salt, and bring to a boil. Cook covered for about 20 minutes, until the potatoes are tender.

While the potatoes are cooking, slice the endive into thin strips, rinse under cold water, and pat dry well. For this dish, the endive isn't cooked: it's added raw to keep its fresh flavor and slight bitterness.

Place the bacon in a dry skillet and fry over medium heat for about 7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until golden and crispy.

Drain the potatoes, reserving 200 ml of the hot cooking water. Return the potatoes to the pot and mash roughly with a potato masher.

Add the butter, warm milk, and 100–200 ml of the reserved potato water to the potatoes. Mix until soft but not runny.

Add the raw sliced endive and most of the fried bacon. Gently fold everything together: the heat from the potatoes will just barely wilt the endive, but it shouldn't cook down completely.

Season with nutmeg and black pepper, adding more salt if needed. Divide the stamppot among plates and sprinkle with the remaining crispy bacon.