Bangers and Mash, a traditional British and Irish comfort food dish. It is quick and easy to whip up … perfect for St. Patrick’s Day or any day of the year.
St. Patrick’s Day is right around the corner, so I thought I would share with you one of my favorite traditional Irish comfort foods – Bangers and Mash.
The bangers
I tend to buy my sausages (well all of my meat) from Whole Foods, and I always go for the best I can possibly afford. I would rather spend more on good, free range, and eat less of it, than buy cheap, lower welfare meat which never tastes as good. Rather than frying the sausages, I baked them which is ever so slightly better for you.
The mash
It’s important to choose a medium to high-starch potato for your mash, such as Russet (high starch) or Yukon (medium-starch). Peel and boil them until just tender, and drain. Then add milk, butter, garlic, a dollop of wholegrain mustard and some salt and pepper and mash with masher or with hand-held mixer.
Can you see that wholegrain mustard is those potatoes? YUM!
Bangers and Mash
Yields 2 servings
Ingredients:
2 sausages (I used Bangers but if you can’t find them you can use mild Italian sausages)
2 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and diced
1 Tablespoon salt, for the water
3 Tablespoons unsalted butter, diced
1/2 cup whole milk
3/4 cup shredded Dubliner cheese
2 Tablespoons whole grain Dijon mustard (I use Maille Old Style)
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon kosher
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Fresh parsley, for garnish
Directions
For the Bangers:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
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.
For the Mash:
Place the potatoes in a large saucepan with 1 Tablespoon of salt and enough water to cover the potatoes. Bring to a boil and simmer for 15-20 minutes, until the potatoes are very tender.
Drain the potatoes in a colander and return them to the saucepan. Add the milk, butter, garlic, and mustard and beat the potatoes with a handheld mixer on low speed until very smooth and creamy. Fold in cheese. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
To serve, mound a generous portion of potatoes on a dinner plate and top with sausages that have been cut in half diagonally. Sprinkle with fresh chopped parsley and serve.
Note: The sausages and potatoes can all be made up to 1 day in advance and stored individually in airtight containers in the refrigerator.
As the Irish saying goes, “A good laugh and a long sleep are the two best cures.”
Sláinte!
Linda xoxo