5 ways to spruce up your Bangers and Mash.

5 ways to spruce up your Bangers and Mash.

 

What dish is more quintessentially British than the classic bangers and mash? It’s nearly as British as making tea, or Wimbledon. This UK dish is a big hit with kids and is a classic comfort food, served in pubs all over the UK.

While it’s utterly delicious, bangers and mash can sometimes taste a little lacklustre, particularly if it’s a meal you make often. So, how about adding a little zing to the old family favourite?

If you really don’t fancy going to the effort of making your own mash, consider McCain UK’s ready-made mashed potato, which can be ready in minutes, using your microwave. (Or who said you can’t have sausages with chips, hash browns or wedges? Delicious!)

Here’s a brilliant mashed potato recipe for you to try. You can also add your favourite spices or herbs.

 

The Ultimate Mashed Potato Recipe

INGREDIENTS

• 240ml double cream

• 45g unsalted butter

• 3 to 4 large gold-fleshed potatoes, peeled

• Salt, and freshly-ground black pepper

• 4 tbsp olive oil, optional

METHOD

• Over a medium heat, warm the cream and butter in a small saucepan until the butter melts. Put to one side.

• Pop the potatoes in a medium saucepan, covering them with cold water. Bring them to a boil over high heat. Add one teaspoon of salt, then turn down the heat and cook the potatoes for about 20 minutes until they’re tender. Drain.

• Blitz the potatoes in a food blender and transfer into a large mixing bowl. Stir in the warm cream and butter mixture until the cream soaks in and the mixture is velvety in texture.

• Season the potatoes with salt and pepper, and garnish with four tablespoons of olive oil.

Now, feast your eyes on the five recipes we've put together below, for making bangers and mash with a modern twist.

1. Spicy Chorizo Pork with Garlic Mashed Potato

Swap the sausage with chorizo, for a change. These spicy Spanish sausages will add a bit of punch to the dish, making a delicious alternative.

INGREDIENTS

• 3 spicy chorizo and pork sausages

• Use our ‘ultimate mashed potato’ recipe above

• 1 medium tomato

• 1 clove of garlic

• 2 fresh basil leaves to garnish

METHOD

• Heat vegetable oil in a non-stick frying pan. Place the un-pricked sausages in the pan and cook on a very low heat for approximately 20 minutes, turning regularly using cooking tongs.

• Follow the ‘ultimate mashed potato recipe’. Once the mash is ready, grate a clove of garlic then stir through, before plating up.

• Serve up the mash and pop the sausages on top. Slice the tomato in to sections and position around the edge of the plate. Finally, scatter the basil leaves over the top of the sausages.

 

2. Spanish Sausages with Artichoke and Garlic Mash

Why not dress up regular mashed potato with something a bit unusual? The garlicky artichoke hearts bring a fresh and tasty twist to this recipe.

INGREDIENTS

• 3 spicy pork and chorizo sausages

• Use the ‘ultimate mashed potato’ recipe above

• 2 tbsp chopped flat-leaf parsley

• 500g large red potatoes sliced into 2½ cm chunks

• 400g tin artichoke hearts, drained and sliced

• 2 garlic cloves, crushed

METHOD

• Heat vegetable oil in a non-stick frying pan. Place the un-pricked sausages in the pan and cook on a very low heat for approximately 20 minutes, turning regularly using cooking tongs.

• Follow the ‘ultimate mashed potato recipe’.

• While the potatoes are cooking, pat the artichoke slices dry with kitchen paper. Heat the olive oil in a medium sized frying pan. Cook the garlic for one minute, then add the artichoke hearts and a little seasoning. Cook for five minutes until golden and crisp.

• Mash the cooked artichokes into the potatoes, saving a couple for the top, and heat through again on a low heat until it's piping hot. Serve with the rest of the artichokes on top.

3. Sausages with Sweet Potato Mash

Fancy a dash of Mediterranean flavour in your bangers and mash dish? This recipe is perfect. It uses the same spicy pork and chorizo sausages from the recipe above, the only difference being that you serve them with sweet potato mash. The sausages are made exactly as above, so this recipe is for the mash and accompaniment only.

INGREDIENTS

• 10 pitted black olives

• 2 medium-sized sweet potatoes

• A dash of ground cumin

• Salt and white pepper

METHOD

• Slice and peel the sweet potatoes in to chunks of about 2.5cm. Pop them in a pan of cold, slightly salty water, making sure the chunks are completely covered.

• Bring the water to a boil and let it bubble gently for roughly 15-20 minutes, until the sweet potatoes are soft.

• Drain the potatoes and put them back in the pan. Add a splodge of butter and mash well. Sprinkle with cumin and white pepper, mixing well.

• Plate up the sweet potato mash, then layer the sausages on top. Chop the olives in half lengthwise, and position around the edge of the mash.

• Sprinkle the sausages with fresh basil leaves. Eat and enjoy!

4. Bangers and Mash with Onion Gravy

Nothing much beats tucking into sausages and mash, smothered with delicious onion gravy. The gravy in this recipe takes about the same time as it takes to make the mash. Once the potatoes are cooking, start preparing the onion gravy as follows:

INGREDIENTS

• ½ medium white onion

• 30g butter

• ¼ pint fresh beef stock

• ¼ pint red wine

METHOD

• Heat the butter gently in a non-stick saucepan until it melts. Finely slice the onion, separating each slice in to strands. Scatter the onion into the butter, and cook over a low heat for about 10 minutes or until the onion has caramelised and turned rich, golden-brown in colour.

• In a separate pot, warm the beef stock until it starts to bubble, and pour it in to the caramelised onion, together with the red wine. Bring back to a moderate heat and continue to simmer until the gravy has thickened.

• Allow three sausages per person. In a non-stick pan, fry the sausages in a little vegetable oil for 20 minutes, turning regularly.

• Serve the mashed potato with the bangers placed on top. Spoon the red wine and onion gravy over the top, and around the edges.

• Scatter some basil leaves over the dish as a final garnish.

5. Pork and Leek Bangers with Cheesy Mash

Cheesy mash adds a really tasty touch to a sausage and mash supper. Or if you want to go the whole hog, smother it with the onion gravy recipe from above and turn it into a truly delicious dish.

INGREDIENTS

• 3 pork and leek sausages

• 'Ultimate mashed potato’ ingredients from above

• 4 tbsp low-fat crème fraiche

• 50g strong cheddar, grated

• 2 tbsp wholegrain mustard

• 1 tbsp thyme leaf

• ½ small onion

• 1oz butter

• ½ pint fresh chicken stock

METHOD

• Fry the sausages gently in oil for about 20 minutes.

• Follow the ‘ultimate mashed potato’ recipe.

• Beat half of the cheese into the mashed potato.

· Spoon the hot mash into a medium-sized baking dish and smooth the top.

· Mix together the rest of the cheese, mustard and thyme leaves. Spread the mixture over the mash with a spatula or the back of a spoon.

· Grill until the cheese is melting and golden, then serve with the sausages on top. Perfect.

If you're a fan of bangers and mash, hopefully you've been inspired with some new ways to spruce up your favourite comfort food. These recipes will have everyone going in for a second helping.