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.

Chicken and Mushroom Pie

Leftover roast chicken makes a great easy pie filling, which is perfect for these colder nights that we have been getting lately. A simple addition of a mushroom gravy and puff pastry turns your leftover chicken into this gluttonously satisfying meal. 

Ingredients (Serves 4 - 6)

• 400g puff pastry 
• 2 -3 cups of leftover roasted chicken, shredded (approx 2 chicken breasts) 
• 2 cups thickly sliced mushrooms
• 1 tbsp olive oil/butter
• 1 small onion, finely chopped
• 1 clove crushed garlic
• 1 tsp dried time
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 small carrot, finely diced
• 1 small parsnip, finely diced
• 1 tbsp cornflour 
• 1 cup of chicken stock (salt reduced if possible)  

Finely dice the onion, carrot and parsnip (approx 5 mm, you don't want to notice them in the pie).  

In a frying pan, heat the butter or oil on a medium - low heat, and add onion and garlic, saute gently for a few minutes before adding herbs, carrot, and parsnip. Continue sauteing until softened. Add a little more butter if necessary and add the thickly sliced mushrooms, stirring occasionally for the next 5 mins till softened.
  
Sprinkle over 1 tbsp of cornflour and quickly toss to coat the vegetables. 

Pour in 1 cup of chicken stock and stir over a low heat till reduced and thickened slightly. Set aside to cool. 

Grease a pie dish and preheat the oven to 200 degrees Celsius.  

Roll out 2/3 of the pastry on a lightly floured surface to about 5mm thick, line the base and sides of the pie dish, leaving the edges to over hang. 

Mix the chicken with the cooled mushroom gravy and pour into the pie dish. 

Roll the remaining pastry to cover the top of the pie. Moisten the edges of the pastry (where the base and top overlap) with a little water and then use your fingers or a fork to crimp the edges together. Brush with a little melted butter then prick holes in the top of the pie before popping in a hot oven. Bake for 35-45 minutes until the pastry is puffed, golden and the filling is heated through. 

Allow to cool for 5 minutes at least before cutting open and serving with salad. Remember: You must always blow on the pie.