Sausages with Veggie Mash and Onion Gravy

Sausages, mash, and gravy are a winter classic comfort food. So perfect for filling bellies and warming us up on these cooler evenings. This version is surprisingly healthy, thanks to the fact that the mash is laden with cauliflower! Steamed and pureed and disguised brilliantly within the mashed potato… perfect way to get your vegetables in, especially for those who usually try to avoid them. Plus being partly cauliflower, means you can dig in without feeling to weighed down.

I’ve managed to make this using only one pot, and one frying pan. Follow my directions, and you can avoid some dishes too.

The cauliflower and potato are cooked separately. This is because the cauliflower needs to be pureed, and the potato only mashed. Do NOT try to take a shortcut and puree the potato, it will become far too stodgy. You can however mash the cauliflower, just bear in mind that it won’t come out as smooth, and may be noticed by those you’re trying to disguise it from!! I season my mash with a pinch of white pepper and nutmeg, but good old salt and pepper will also do the trick.

This time I’ve used the new Hellers Stout Mushroom and Angus Beef Sausages, the stout flavour really sung through and added a depth to the dish. Of course feel free to use your favourite type of good quality sausage if you prefer.  

Ingredients (serves 3 adults or 2 adults & 2 children):

• 2 cups of cauliflower florets
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 large onion
• 1 tbsp wholegrain mustard, optional
• 1 cup beef stock (powdered is fine)
• 2 tsp cornflour
• 3 large potatoes (about 4 cups when peeled and diced)
• 1 tbsp butter and salt and pepper
• 6 pack of Hellers Stout Mushroom and Angus Beef Sausages or another favourite
• Steamed green vegetables to serve

Prepare the cauliflower and add to a pot with 1cm of water in the bottom. Cover and simmer on a medium heat for 5 minutes or until the cauliflower is nice and soft. Pour the cauliflower and cooking liquid into a container to puree with a stick mixer, or puree in a blender. Set aside.

While the cauliflower is cooking, peel and slice an onion. Heat the oil in a large frying pan (oven proof if possible, but not mandatory), and cook the onion on a low heat stirring often. This will take 5-10 minutes for the onions to become soft, but be sure to stir as we don’t want to brown them. Once softened, add the stock and mustard. Combine the cornflour with a little cold water, before adding to the onion gravy also. Simmer for another 5 minutes till reduced and thickened a little. Turn the heat off, and pour the gravy into a bowl to rest.

Using this pan, place the sausages, you can fry them gently in the pan, or pop the pan into a 180 degree celcius oven to cook. They take about 20-25 minutes in the oven, turning once.

Meanwhile, in the same pot that you cooked the cauliflower, place the peeled and roughly chopped potatoes, add salt and enough water to cover. Cover and boil for about 12 minutes till soft. Drain most of the water, leaving about 1cm in the bottom. Add 1 tbsp of butter and mash well. Once mashed fold in the pureed cauliflower and season to taste.

In bowls dish up the mash and top with two cooked sausages (just one for the kids, but if you halve them lengthways they feel like they’re still having two). There should be some sausage fat in the pan, I like to pour the gravy back in and gently heat to incorporate this fat, but that’s totally up to you. Once the gravy has been reheated pour liberally over the sausages.

Serve with steamed greens and enjoy.