Hello everyone! Yes, it's too hot to cook my normal food. I tend to like the winter foods better than the lighter summer foods. However, I did make "gravy" with sausage and meatballs a couple of weeks ago served with homemade gnocchi from dough I had in the freezer. I also made stuffed meatballs which were so good. I saw it on one of the food channel shows in a diner. I made homemade pesto sauce last week with basil and parsley I had grown. I did find cooking the pesto a little bit takes away that raw garlic taste which I really don't like. And, today I made Bangers and Mash in honor of the Olympics being in London.
So, what is Bangers and Mash, you ask? Basically, it's sausage with mashed potatoes and onion gravy. It's one of Alan's favorites and he thought I wouldn't like it! I told him, no, I love sausage and mashed potatoes! I used to make them with peas or corn and we'd use ketchup instead of gravy.
So, here it is and the pesto recipe to follow as well.
Bangers - Any type of sausage you prefer, either fried or baked, I prefer baked. Put in oven, poke a couple of holes in each link, bake until done in about a 400 degree oven, turning once to brown on all sides. The Brits use pork sausage, mild or sweet Italian style.
Mashed Potatoes:
While the sausage and onions are cooking, cook 2 lbs of potatoes. You can use any kind you prefer. You can peel and cube them first, or just boil them and peel later which is what I did. Make your favorite mashed potato recipe. Mine is:
2 lbs potatoes
1 stick butter
6 tblsp milk
salt and pepper to taste
After the potatoes are cooked and peeled, mash them, add the butter, milk, salt and pepper to taste, mix well. And, while the potatoes are cooking:
Onion Gravy:
2 medium onions, sliced fine
3 tblsp butter
1 tblsp cooking oil
1 tsp sugar
1 tsp balsamic vinegar
20 oz beef stock
4 tsp flour
4 tsp water
salt and pepper to taste
Melt the butter add the oil, slice the onions, add onions to the melted butter and oil, stir well coating the onions. Cover and cook over medium heat until the onions are translucent about 10 mins or longer - do not brown! Add the sugar and balsamic vinegar, cook another 5 minutes, covered. Add the stock, cook for about 10 mins, uncovered. Mix the flour and water into a thin paste, add a little of the cooking stock to the paste, then add to the onion mixture. Cook until the onions are completely done and the gravy is thickened. It won't get real thick, just a little more dense than the stock.
The sausage should be done, the potatoes are done and the gravy is done. Then, you take potatoes, put them in the middle of the plate and flatten them a bit. Add a piece of sausage on each side, then top with onion gravy and serve. And, voila! you have Bangers and Mash!!!
Pesto:
large amount of basil (i use 3 stalks of leaves)
about 1/4 the amount of basil in flat leaf parsley or more if you want
3 garlic cloves
olive oil
1/2 tsp each salt and pepper
In a food processor, add all of the basil, parsley, garlic, salt and pepper, start to spin, then add the olive oil in the top slowly until all of the ingredients are in tiny bits and there is enough oil emulsed to make a sauce. Then in a sauce pan, heat up the mixture to a very slow boil for about 5 mins. Serve over pasta or store in the refrigerator until ready for use.
Stuffed Meatballs:
My meatball recipe is on here. In a bowl mix some chopped very small prosciutto, salami, pepperoni, capicolla and fresh mozzarella along with a few basil leaves and parsley. Mix well. Take about 4 ounces of meatball mixture, roll it, flatten it in your hand, add some of the stuffing, then roll the meatball closed. Place the meatballs in a baking dish and cook until browned. Then add slices of mozzarella on top of each meatball, cover with "gravy" and top with locatelli cheese. Bake at 350 until the cheese is melted thoroughly and the mixture is a little bubbly. Serve as is with either pasta, mashed potatoes, whatever your pleasure. Alan loved them and so will you!!!
I hope you enjoy these recipes!!!!!
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