My Posh Bangers ‘n’ Mash. It’s thought that the name ‘Bangers’ dates back to food shortages during WW I. Sausages were packed with fillers such as breadcrumbs or rusk and lots of water, and they had the tendency to burst with a loud pop when dropped in hot oil. Today, you can buy quality sausages from every supermarket or, even better, your local butcher, and Bangers ‘n’ Mash has become a gastropub favourite, where you can get a carefully spooned quenelle of potato puree with wild boar or rare breed pork sausages.
My recipe is served with some kale and a creamy mushroom sauce. I chose these instead of the more usual red wine jus or onion gravy. Of course, you need some nice butcher’s sausages, but the real star of the show is the mash. My eldest daughter would sit and just eat bowls of the stuff. There are lots of tips for making a great mashed potato, but the most important one is lots and lots of butter. And I do mean lots. An almost obscene amount. This is not a dish for you if you are on a low-cholesterol diet.
What Potatoes to use to make your Mash
Different varieties of potatoes grow through the seasons. While there are some all-rounders, different potatoes are suitable for different recipes. Chipping, baking, roasting, and mashing potatoes all have a fluffy and floury texture; boiling and salad potatoes have a firm or waxy texture. The following table lists just a few of the available varieties.
| Early Season | Main Crop | |
| Chipping | Arran Pilot, Charlotte, Maris Peer | Pentland Dell |
| Mashing | Charlotte, Maris Peer | Desiree, Maris Piper |
| Roasting | Charlotte, Maris Peer | King Edward |
| Baking | Marfona | Cara |
| Boiling | Jersey Royals, Cornish Kings | |
| Salads | Pentland Javelin, Ratte | Belle de Fonteney |
My Mash top tips
Use these tips to ensure you make a silky smooth, buttery mash whenever you need it.
- Use the right variety of potato.
- Baking your potatoes gives you the best results. If you want to boil them, then you will need to reduce the water content. Carefully drain the cooked potatoes in a colander, then return them to the empty pan. Replace on the lowest possible heat and let the potatoes steam for a couple of minutes. This will help drive off excess moisture.
- Use a potato ricer to make the mash. These are available in big supermarkets, cook shops and online.
- Season very generously with fine salt and white pepper. Don’t use black pepper; it will show up as black specks in the finished mash
- Don’t overwork the finished mashed potatoes as they will become sticky and gluey in texture.
- Did I mention butter?
My Posh Bangers ‘n’ Mash
Equipment
- Potato Ricer
Ingredients
For the Sausages
- 8 large Pork Sausages
- 1 tablespoon Vegetable Oil
For the Mash
- 6 Large Desiree Potatoes alternativily you can use King Edwards, or Maris Piper Potatoes
- 150 gr Jersey Butter
- A generous splash of Full-fat Milk
- Fine Salt and White Pepper
For the Kale
- 50 gr Kale thoroughly washed and trimmed
- 25 gr Jersey Butter
- Fine Salt and freshly ground Black Pepper
For the Sauce
- 300 ml Jersey double Cream
- 200 gr Mixed Mushrooms choose you favourites
- 2 Banana Shallots peeled and very finely chopped
- 2 cloves Garlic peeled and crushed
- 50 gr Jersey Butter
- A splash of quality Olive Oil
- ½ teaspoon fresh Thyme leaves chopped
- A good grate of Nutmeg
- Fine Salt and freshly ground Black Pepper
Instructions
For the Mashed Potaotes
- Preheat your oven to 350 F / 180 C / Gas Mark 4. Wash the potatoes and place on a tray. Bake in their skins until soft in the middle. This will be between an hour and an hour and half depending on the size of the potatoes. Meanwhile melt the butter in a pan with the milk.
- As soon as you can handle the potatoes, carefully cut them in half and scoop the potato. Pass this through the ricer into pan and season very generously. Place over a low heat and stir in the melted butter and milk. Do not overwork and leave on the lowest heat to keep warm.
For the Sausages and Kale
- Heat the oil in a heavy-bottomed sauté pan and fry the sausages turning regularly until brown and cooked through. Heat a large pan of salted water until boiling and add the kale, simmer for four to five minutes then remove from the heat and strain.
- Place in ice cold water and quickly cool. Drain thoroughly. To reheat the kale, add the butter and a tablespoon of water to a pan and heat until bubbling, toss in the kale and season when heated through.
For the Sauce
- Heat the oil and butter in a heavy-bottomed sauté pan and slowly start to cook the shallots. Wipe the mushrooms clean and slice. Add the mushrooms and garlic to the shallots and sauté until cooked and the mushrooms are browning. Add the nutmeg, thyme, and season generously then add the cream. Bring to a gentle simmer, cook for a couple of minutes and remove from the heat. Keep warm until required.
Notes
