Mini Bangers & Mash

Even though the days are starting to get longer (I love that it's no longer pitch black when I get to the office) and spring is just around the corner, I'm still in comfort food mode. It's still really chilly out and I still want warming, cozy food, the type of food that is the equivalent of an extra 30 minutes in bed in the morning, if that analogy makes any sense.

I figured that with the mini bangers deserved to be served on a bed of really soft mashed potatoes and then smothered in a warm gravy and that would make a super comforting lunch or dinner. But, because the sausages are so cute and small, it makes this meal seem a bit lighter and little more bikini body-friendly.

Ingredients [serves 4]:
1½ lbs. mini bangers (or regular sized pork sausage)
batch mashed potatoes
onion gravy
buttered haricots verts

mashed potatoes
1½ lbs yukon gold potatoes (3 to 4 medium sized potatoes)
2 tablespoons butter
2 oz. cream cheese
1 cup heavy cream
2 cloves garlic, smashed
salt & pepper to taste

onion gravy
2 tablespoons butter
½ onion, sliced
1 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons flour
½ cup beef stock
dash Worcestershire
1 teaspoon pepper

Start with the potatoes. Get them into a pot and cover with cold water and place over high heat. Boil for a few minutes until they're tender. Check them with a sharp paring knife; if the knife goes in cleanly and slips back out easily, they're done.

While the potatoes are cooking, get the seasoning ready. Pop some butter and cream cheese into a saucepan. Pour in some cream and drop in the smashed garlic cloves. Get over low heat and cook until scalding. Add in some salt and pepper (start with a little; you can always add more).

Smash the potatoes with a masher and then stir in the cream mixture. Add in salt and pepper to taste. That's the mashed potatoes, done.

This is a rich meal so I think it needs a vegetable side. I went with haricots verts and cooked them in a little butter.

In the same pan, brown up the sausages.

In the same pan, make the gravy. My sausages left me with a good amount of rendered fat so I only used a tablespoon of butter. Once the butter has melted, add in the onions and garlic and cook until browned and caramelized. Whisk in the butter and cook the roux until the flour has completely been absorbed into the fat.

Slowly whisk in the beef stock and then add in a little Worcestershire. Keep whisking until smooth and cook until thickened. Whisk in a little black pepper. And that's the gravy, done.

Since this is a daintier version of a heavy meal, grab three small-ish plates. Plate up the green beans, pile on some potatoes, nestle on the sausages, and drizzle the gravy over the top.

It's a small plate but it's so decadent and hearty. This is how you trick your mind into thinking you're really treating yourself when you're actually being quite smart about the portion size.

The potatoes are pillowy soft, the sausages are tender and herby, the gravy is rich, and the haricots verts add a nice crunch and let's be honest, they make the plate look so much nicer.

Here are the recipe pages: