Bangers and Mustard Mash with Red Onion Gravy

I'm going to start 2012 off with a "bang", with some Bangers and Mash, the traditional British comfort food.  Bangers and mash is one of my favourite items to order when I head out to one of my local Toronto pubs, especially in the winter.  The very best bangers and mash I've ever had, however, is in Victoria, British Columbia at the Irish Times Pub.  Amazing!!  I'm not sure why their bangers and mash is so good, it just is.  The gravy?  The potatoes?  The bangers?  I don't know, but after having their version I was never satisfied with it from anywhere else.

Since Victoria is a bit far to go for a night out, I needed to find a good recipe that I could make at home.  I found a recipe from Jamie Oliver and one from Ina Garten and just combined the two to make the most delicious bangers and mash ever.  Ina's mustard mash, which I'm sure sounds a bit strange, has to be eaten to be believed.  Outstanding!  I was a little hesitant about adding all the mustard and started out with half, but then ended up adding what the recipe called for.  These mashed potatoes are some of the best I've ever eaten.  So incredibly delicious.  Add some bangers and Jamie's red onion gravy and you have the perfect dish for a cold winter's night.  Joe and I were thrilled with this version.  It's a simple dish that's just packed with flavour, and it will hold us over until we can visit our favourite Victoria pub again later this year.

I was able to buy real bangers for this dish, but feel free to substitute with whatever sausage you like.  It will still be delicious!

Enjoy!

Bangers and Mash
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Bangers

2 lbs. bangers or your favourite sausages

Mash

2 lbs. Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and diced
Kosher salt
4 T unsalted butter, diced (1/2 stick)
4 ounces creme fraiche*
2 tsp. Dijon mustard
2 tsp. whole grain or coarse mustard
1 tsp. dry mustard
freshly ground black pepper and salt, to taste
milk, to taste

*sour cream can be substituted, although I did use the creme fraiche

Red Onion Gravy

4 medium red onions, peeled and finely sliced
1/3 cup balsamic vinegar (do not substitute with red wine vinegar)
3 1/2 T butter
2 beef or chicken stock cubes
2 1/4 cups water

Preheat oven to 425F.

Place a baking rack on a sheet pan and arrange the sausages in one layer on the baking rack. Bake for 18 to 20 minutes, until the sausages are just cooked through.

Meanwhile, place the potatoes in a large saucepan with some salt and enough water to cover the potatoes. Bring to a boil and simmer for 20 to 25 minutes, until the potatoes are very tender. Drain the potatoes in a colander and return them to the saucepan. Add the butter, creme fraiche, Dijon mustard, whole-grain mustard, dry mustard, salt and pepper to taste and beat the potatoes in the pan with a handheld mixer on low speed until very smooth and creamy.  Add enough milk for desired consistency (I only needed to add a very small amount, they were creamy enough from the creme fraiche).

While potatoes are boiling, fry the onions really slowly in a little olive oil, covered, for about 15 minutes until soft.  Remove the lid, turn up the heat and as soon as the onions become golden brown, pour in the vinegar and boil until it almost disappears.  Turn down the heat, add the butter, crumble in your stock cubes and 2 1/4 cups water and stir well.  Let this simmer until you have a nice gravy consistency.

To serve, dollop some potatoes on the plate, top with sausages that have been cut in half diagonally and spoon over the onion gravy.

Serves 4.

Source:  Adapted from Ina Garten's How Easy is That and Jamie Oliver's Jamie's Dinners

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