This book would be incomplete without a recipe for England’s favorite way to serve sausages. A sweet onion gravy covers the sausages and potatoes.
Gravy:
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
4 large onions, peeled and thinly sliced
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
2 teaspoons sugar
1/2 cup dry white wine
2 cups Chicken Stock or purchased low-sodium stock
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
2 teaspoons fresh thyme or 1/2 teaspoon dried
2 teaspoons cornstarch
Potatoes:
2 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes
2 teaspoons kosher salt
2/3 cup half-and-half or whole milk
4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter
Freshly ground black pepper to taste
Dish:
11/2 pounds British Bangers or purchased cooked sausages
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
1. For gravy, heat oil and butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onions, and toss to coat. Cover the pan, and cook onions for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Sprinkle onions with salt, pepper, and sugar, and raise the heat to medium-high. Cook onions for 15 to 20 minutes, stirring occasionally, or until brown. Add wine, and cook over high heat for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Add stock, parsley, and thyme, and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat to low, and simmer sauce, uncovered, for 15 minutes.
2. Combine cornstarch and 1 tablespoon cold water in a small bowl, and stir well. Add mixture to sauce, and cook for an additional 2 minutes, or until slightly thickened. Season sauce to taste with salt and pepper, and set aside.
3. While onions brown, combine potatoes, 6 cups cold water, and salt in a 3-quart saucepan, and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to medium, and cook potatoes, partially covered, for 10 to 15 minutes, or until very tender.
4. Drain potatoes in a colander, shaking the colander over the sink. Return potatoes to the pan. Cook over medium heat for 2 minutes, shaking the pan frequently. Transfer potatoes to a mixing bowl.
5. Heat half-and-half and butter in the saucepan until butter is melted. Pour mixture over potatoes, and mash with a potato masher until desired consistency is reached. Season to taste with salt and pepper, and keep hot.
6. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add sausages, and brown on all sides, turning them gently with tongs. To serve, arrange sausages and potatoes on plates, and top both with gravy.
Note: The gravy can be prepared up to 3 days in advance and refrigerated, tightly covered. Reheat it over low heat, stirring occasionally. The potatoes can be kept at room temperature for 6 hours; reheat them, covered, over low heat.