Classic Bangers & Mash - With A Twist

Debbie Keeble of premium sausage-makers Debbie & Andrew’s (Debbieandandrews.co.uk) suggests a new take on this classic warming dish.

(Image: Rex Features)

Serves 2

Ingredients

4 x pork and apple sausages

4 baby fennel bulbs

1/4pt vegetable stock

1tbsp sunflower oil

1tsp butter

Mash

250g carrots – peeled & chopped

250g sweet potato – peeled & roughly chopped

1 rounded teaspoon wholegrain mustard

Sea Salt & ground black pepper

Champagne Sauce

20g of butter

15g shallots

15g button mushrooms

100ml brut Champagne

75ml fresh chicken stock

125ml double cream

1 tbsp chopped fresh parsley

Salt & white pepper

“Grill some pork and apple sausages under a high heat for 15 minutes. Turn until brown all over. The sausages should be at least 80 per cent meat. Shoulder pork is best as it tastes like Sunday lunch in a sausage — it’s the leanest and juiciest cut. Ensure all added flavours — herbs, garlic, leeks, etc — are fresh.”

“Sweet potato and carrot mash is a nice variation on traditional mash. Make sure you fine-cut the carrots, otherwise they’ll take longer to cook than the sweet potato. Add wholegrain mustard to taste.”

“As this dish would be perfect for special occasions, serve with a champagne and mushroom sauce.”

“Serve with some lightly steamed pak choi or braised fennel. Garnish with a handful of sage leaves.”

Method

1) Finely peel & chop the shallots, slice the button mushrooms and set aside.

2) Peel & chop the carrots and sweet potatoes and in a large saucepan, cover with boiling water, bring to the boil and simmer for 15mins.

3) Heat the sunflower oil & sauté the fennel until lightly browned in places.

4) Add stock, butter and a garlic clove halved. Cover, bring to the boil and simmer gently for 10 -12mins until the fennel is tender and the sauce reduced.

5) Whilst the fennel is braising, grill the sausages under a medium heat, turning occasionally to brown and make the sauce.

6) Sauce - Heat the butter and sweat the shallots but not coloured. Add the mushrooms and cook for 2 minutes stirring continuously.

7) Add the champagne & reduce by third on a medium heat.

8) Add the chicken stock & reduce by half.

9) Add the cream to the sauce & reduce further until it lightly coats the back of a spoon.

10) Drain the carrots & sweet potatos, return to the heat for a minute and mash until smooth. Stir in the mustard, season to taste if required and keep warm over a very low heat.

11) Now the creamy sauce has reduced, remove the mushrooms and pass the sauce through a sieve over a clean saucepan.

12) Whisk in the remaining butter little by little and season with salt and pepper. Add the finely chopped fresh parsley.

13) Remove the sausages from the grill, the garlic from the fennel and serve.