BANGERS AND MASH

                 by Joan Ricketts Locke

 
 
In May 2012, my husband, Wayne, and I travelled to Ireland.  One of the  entrees I thoroughly enjoyed was "Bangers and Mash" (Irish sausage and mashed potatoes).  In fact...I enjoyed this delicious dish four times during our three week stay.
 
Recipe:
  • 1 pound fresh Irish sausages (8 large sausages)
  • 1 pound Red potatoes, peeled and diced
  • Kosher salt (we use sea salt)
  • 2 tablespoons butter , or margarine
  • 1/3 cup milk
  • 2 teaspoons whole-grain or coarse mustard
  • 1 teaspoon dry mustard
  • 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  •  1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
  •  1 teaspoon onion powder

  •  
    Directions:
     
    Place sausages in a prepared fry pan of 1 tbsp. olive oil on med/high heat, brown sausages on both sides and then turn your heat down to medium, continue cooking until the sausages are just cooked through.
     
    While sausages are cooking, place the potatoes in a large saucepan with 1 tbsp. salt, add enough water to cover potatoes. Bring to a boil and simmer for 20 to 25 minutes, until potatoes are done. Drain potatoes and return to saucepan. To potatoes, add butter, milk, whole-grain mustard, dry mustard, 1 tbsp. salt, and pepper, beat potatoes on low speed to mix in ingredients, increasing speed until smooth and creamy.
     
    Back to our sausages, add 1 tsp. Worcestershire Sauce, 1 tsp. onion powder, and one bottle of Irish Beer (We use Guinness or Smithwicks) Remove sausages to a platter.  Back at the fry pan, increase heat to high and add 1 tbsp. flour to liquid, stirring constantly, to make a thickened gravy. Return sausages to gravy and let simmer ten minutes.
     
    Ready to eat...place a mound of potatoes in center of plate and top with one or two sausages. With a gravy ladle...place one ladle of gravy on top of sausage and potatoes.   Sprinkle with chopped parsley and enjoy!!
     
     
    Make this dish a tradition at your next St. Patty's Day Celebration!  We purchased Irish Sausages at COSTCO.  Brother Bill says he is glad I introduced him to this dish and now he loves cooking and preparing this dish for our St. Patty's Day dinner.