Bangers & Mash with Onion Gravy and Mushy Peas

Having lived in London a few years back, I became accustomed to delicious pints of beer, spelling words with an extra u, trying to learn the metric system and eating British food.  One of the only local dishes that I did enjoy were bangers and mash.

I cooked most of the time I lived there and never tried to make the dish.  I did however try last January.  While it was good, I know that I can do better.  I made a red wine gravy, while this recipe uses chicken stock, a touch of white wine and bacon.  Anything and everything (well, almost everything) is better with bacon.  This time I did make a quick mushy peas, though they aren’t that ‘mushed.’

Here is my rendition of bangers and mash using pork “banger sausages” from Whole Foods.

Ingredients:
Serves 2 – two sausages per person. Can be doubled for more people
Printable Recipe

4 english style pork sausages (beef, chicken or turkey sausages would work too)
1 12 oz bottle of beer, preferably an Ale
1/4 cup chicken or beef stock
1/4 cup white wine
1 tablespoon flour
2 slices of bacon, diced
1 yellow onion, halved and then sliced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 teaspoon dry sage or 1 tablespoon fresh sage, finely chopped
ground black pepper
kosher salt
1 pound potatoes, I used russet, cut into cubes
1 tablespoon butter
2 tablespoons milk

Preheat oven to 300 degrees.  In a roasting pan, at least 2 inches deep, pour in 12 ounces of beer. Add onions and garlic.  Place sausages on top of onions.

Cook sausages for about 20 minutes and then rotate.  Cook an additional 10-15 minutes, or until sausages are cooked through.  Remove from roasting pan and set aside.  Pour out beer and set aside. Put onions into a small stock pot over low heat to continue caramelizing them.

Meanwhile, heat a small skillet over medium heat.  When hot, add bacon and cook for about 10-12 minutes, or until bacon is crispy.  During the cooking process, add the sausages to the pan and cook in the bacon fat for about 2-3 minutes.  Cover sausages with foil to stay warm.

Once bacon is cooked, add to the pot with onions.  Pour in stock, white wine, beer, sage and flour.  Stir to mix and then bring to a boil.  Let boil for a minute and then reduce heat to a low simmer.  Cook until stock has reduced by half, about 10-12 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

While the bacon is cooking, boil enough water in a small pot to cover potatoes. Add a little salt to the water and boil the potatoes until tender, about 10 minutes.  When done, drain and mash with a fork or use a potato ricer. Add 1 tablespoon butter and 2 tablespoons milk.  Mix and season to taste with salt and pepper.

Serve bangers on mashed potatoes and top with onion gravy. Recipe for mushy peas follows.

Mushy Peas

1 cup frozen peas, defrosted
1 tablespoons butter
1 teaspoon olive oil
2 green onions, finely diced

Heat olive oil in small pan over medium heat.  Add peas and green onions.  Cook about 5 minutes.  Remove from pan and mash with a fork.  Add butter, mix and serve. Enjoy!!