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BRITISH BANGERS AND MASH - SAUSAGES TO DIE FOR

Visitors to the UK who have partaken of 'pub grub' will recognize this dish at once, maybe with various levels of enthusiasm, depending on the quality of the meal they experienced. In fact, it has become so popular, that many more "upmarket restaurants" or "posh" eateries have added it to their menus - probably with adjectives suggesting the haughtiest of haute cuisine. Such descriptions cannot mask the fact that we are talking about sausages and mashed potatoes. The essential comfort food value and simplicity of this dish, as a good winter family meal, will always retain its authenticity, and is easy and economical to create.

INGREDIENTS TO SERVE 4:

8 large, good quality pork and herb or pork and apple sausages, or 12 medium sausages.
1 large red onion, chopped.
1 pint of onion gravy, made from gravy granules or powdered mix.
8 medium sized potatoes, peeled and chunked for boiling.
Half teaspoon of salt for potatoes
1 ounce of best butter.
Quarter pint of full cream milk.
Freshly ground black pepper.
Tablespoon of oil, such as virgin olive oil for a nutty flavor.

METHOD:

Put potatoes to boil in a large pan of water, and boil for about 20 minutes, testing for softness with a fork.
While these are cooking, heat the oil in a large frying pan, then add the sausages. Do not prick the skins, cook them slowly, turning often, and this seals in the flavor. After 10 minutes, add the onions to the pan and keep them moving until you have a nice brown finish to both sausages and onions. The sausage juices will mingle with the onions, but if desired, you can absorb some of the fat with kitchen paper. The total cooking time is about 20 minutes, after which, remove from pan and place in a dish in the oven on a low heat.

Drain the potatoes, after your fork test tells you they are cooked, and put back on a low heat, adding milk or cream, pepper and butter, allowing the butter to melt gently. Remove and mash thoroughly, then fluff up with a fork.

Make up the gravy, ensuring it is quite thick but free-flowing.

Divide the mashed potato onto four heated dinner plates, then insert the sausages into the potato. Add the onions to the gravy mix, stir, then pour over the bangers and mash. Serve at once.

This will stand alone as a tasty family main course, but there is no reason why you cannot add your favorite vegetables to the dish. Peas and sweetcorn, green beans, broccoli and cauliflower are all interesting taste combinations with this dish. English mustard, hot and piquant, as well as apple sauce, make this traditional English fare a dish of distinction. Simple and good. Enjoy.

Learn more about this author, Dolores Moore.
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