Category: Mashed Potatoes

How to make Bangers and Mash

1/1/2017

Don't know what bangers and mash are? Then the odds are you are not English or getting on in years.

Bangers and Mash, is a traditional, good value, warming meal, that is quick to prepare and delicious to eat. In plain English, it is a traditional British meal consisting of sausages and mashed potatoes. This meal dates back to the early 1900s. Of course at that time the ingredients of the sausages would have varied from today. In the past the sausage skins were generally made from an animal's cleaned intestines. Today more sausages have artificially made skins which contain sometimes suspect meat.

As Bangers are sausages, and Mash is simply mashed potatoes, it should be easy to get this recipe right, shouldn't it? If only life were that simple.

As with all recipes, the food is not always as tasty as it should be. Much will depend on the quality of the sausages, the means of cooking, the variety of potato, the gravy and so much more.

The perfect potato, or spud as the British call them, for mash.

One of the best varieties of potato, for making great Mash, is the Nadine. It has the right amount of moisture and taste, to make perfect mashed potatoes.

However, when we British make a cheap mid-week meal of Bangers and Mash, almost any potato or sausage will do. However, if you want your Bangers and Mash to rise above the crowd, buy the right potato for the job.

Perfect Mash

Make sure that you cut the potatoes into regular sized pieces. This guarantees an even cook. Rinse the peeled and chopped potatoes, under cold water, and then place in a pan of cold water. You will need enough water to cover the potatoes.

Years ago, this water was always salted, but these days it is down to personal taste and choice.

When the pan of potatoes has boiled, cover with a lid, and simmer for about 15 to 20 minutes. The timing depends on the variety of potato, the size of the chunks of potato and the quantity. Drain the potatoes thoroughly and turn into a bowl for mashing. Mash using your preferred methods.

The Bangers

Sausages, or Bangers, are less popular in the UK these days. They are generally classed as having poor nutritional value. For example, cheap sausages may have a slightly suspect source of meat and too much cereal. Sometimes cheap bangers have tough chewy pieces of gristle in them. The contents may also include mechanically retrieved meat, which is not good for you.

The taste and nutritional value of your meal will be improved if you buy good quality sausages. Bangers are usually pork, beef or a mixture of pork and beef. Nowadays, you can buy vegetarian or turkey sausages, but neither of these will make traditional Bangers and Mash.

Sausages can be fried reasonably quickly, but they taste better if cooked in the oven or in a grill pan on the stove. This way you will not need to add any fat, as they will cook in their own juices. If you put the bangers in the oven, as the potatoes begin to simmer, all the food should be ready to eat at the same time.

Bangers cooked in the oven with onions, and then an added gravy, make lovely Bangers and Mash.

Bangers and Mash cooking tips

The mashed potato should not be sloppy and wet, nor should it be too dry. Perfect mashed potato has a little added milk, butter, salt and pepper. The amounts depend on your taste.

The bangers are traditionally stuck into a heap of mashed potato. Pile the mash on the person's plate. Stick the bangers in the mash vertically. Cover with lashings of onion gravy.

Overall

This dish has universal appeal. Children and adults alike, tend to love bangers and mash. It is quick and easy to shop for, prepare and cook. The bonus, of course, is that it is also a tasty dish.

You can add your own little touches, if you want to, but god old-fashioned bangers and mash was a simple dish. It helped to cheaply provide sustenance for poorer families and has remained a winter favourite, for all ages.

http://www.simplyrecipes.com/recipes/how_to_make_homemade_sausage/

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How to make perfect mashed potatoes

29/12/2016

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As everyone knows, making Homemade Mashed Potatoes is easy isn't it?

Well it can be but it is also all too easy to end up with watery, runny potatoes or a pile of mash that is full of lumps. Getting your homemade mashed potatoes perfect each time is not difficult as long as you follow a few tried and tested tips With that in mind here is a simple 1-2-3 for getting perfect, homemade mashed potatoes every time.

You will need:

Large pan with lid
Colander or drainer
Salt
Black pepper
Butter or margarine
Milk or cream
Potato masher or large fork or Whisk

Take Care:

-not to overcook the potatoes.
-nor to under cook them.
-aim to have similar sized chunks of potato for even cooking
-thoroughly drain the cooked potatoes, or else the mash may be sloppy and wet

How to make perfect mashed potatoes

Preparation

Try to only use Potatoes that are still fresh and firm, with no green patches showing through their skins.
Do not peel them too deep as you will lose many of the potatoes best benefits by doing so.
Peel the potatoes, removing any "eyes".
Use roughly one large potato per person.
Cut the potatoes into evenly sized, rough shaped chunks or wedges. If these chunks vary in size the smallest chunks will be ready before the larger chunks.
Wash or rinse the potatoes thoroughly in cold water.

Getting Started
Homemade mashed potatoes usually take about 20 minutes to cook. With the preparation time and time allowed for the process of mashing allow around 25 minutes in total.

Keep this time in mind, so that you can make sure that the rest of your meal is ready at the same time. Mashed potatoes can be kept warm in the oven for a short time but, keep them warm for too long, and they will become dry and end up with a hard covering.

Make sure that you have a large enough pan to accommodate the potatoes, without water boiling or splashing over the sides. Cover the potatoes with cold water.

I like to season the water with a little salt but it is up to you. Homemade mashed potatoes will need some salt, at one stage or another, for them to be tasty. If you are cutting back on salt try a low sodium version or sea salt.

Cooking the potatoes

Cover the pan with a lid and bring the potatoes to the boil.
You will be as well keeping your eyes on the pan at this stage.
Once the potatoes have boiled turn the heat down low, so that your potatoes simmer.
Leave the pan covered, but so that some air escapes.
After almost 20 minutes check whether the potatoes are soft, by pricking them with a fork.
Although you do not want hard potatoes, neither do you want ones that are too soft.

Getting ready to mash the potatoes

Thoroughly drain the potatoes, making sure that you do not burn yourself on the steam.
If available use a colander to drain the potatoes
You can either return the potatoes to the pan or place in a large dish for mashing.
Sprinkle fresh, black pepper, and salt if required, onto the potatoes.
Add a large chunk of butter or margarine. Adjust the amounts to taste.
Either add a cup of milk or cream to the potatoes. It is better to only add a little, as you can always add more if necessary, but cannot take away the liquid if you add too much!
If preferred boil the milk before adding to the potatoes

Mashing the potatoes
It is really up to you and how confident you feel. My Mum only ever used a large table fork to mash potatoes and she always made perfect mash. This does need a strong arm though.

These days most cooks use a potato masher or a hand whisk. Whisking will quickly and easily leave your mashed potatoes lump free but may also leave them a little sticky and dry tasting.
Potatoes that have been mashed with a potato masher usually have a better consistency but will require more work on your part.
With trial and error you will soon find the right amounts of such things as milk and butter and the best way for you to make perfect homemade mashed potatoes.

To serve
Serve as soon as possible, so that your mashed potatoes are true perfection. Add a little garnish if preferred. The mash can be scooped onto the plate, squeezed through a muslin bag to make swirls or simply swirled with a fork. Again the choice is yours.

The right potatoes for the job
There are many varieties of potato. Some are just right for baking in the oven, others are more suitable for frying as chips. A few of the best varieties for making great, homemade mashed potatoes are:-

Rooster
Saxon
Wilja
Nadine

If none of the above are available try to buy a floury potato. Ask your vegetable retailer for their advice, if necessary.

Nadine potatoes are a variety of potato which has a cream skin and cream flesh. It also has a firm, waxy texture. Nadine is suitable for:

Potato Wedges
Roasting
Boiling

Variations on plain mash

Try serving mashed sweet potato as an alternative or alongside traditional mashed potatoes. Reduce the cooking time and liquid added as sweet potatoes have more moisture.
Use cream instead if milk
Use low fat spread alternatives, instead of butter. Try low fat margarine, vegetable spread or soft cream cheese.
Add grated cheese to the top of the mashed potatoes and briefly cook under the grill
Add garlic or garlic butter.
Add other vegetables such as boiled turnip or swede.
Experiment by adding a variety of herbs and spices. Just set a small amount of the mashed potato on one side to use for these experiments. This way, if you do not like the results you have not wasted time, money, food and effort.

Additional information:
Once you have mastered making perfect basic, homemade mashed potatoes, you can experiment and use your flair.

More:
http://www.deliaonline.com/recipes/international/european/british/perfect-mashed-potatoes
http://www.thekitchn.com/5-mistakes-to-avoid-when-making-mashed-potatoes-212271

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How to make Bangers and Mash

How to make perfect mashed potatoes

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