Bangers with Apple Mash and Braised Cabbage & Leeks #FeedYourHappy
September is Organic, Feed Your Happy month - a campaign encouraging people to share food that makes them happy. When we eat organic, we feel happy because we know it means high standards of animal welfare, fewer pesticides, no artificial additives, preservatives or routine use of antibiotics.
Sara Cox, ambassador of ‘Organic. FeedYour Happy’, will be sharing her happy food stories in a selection of short films like this one throughout the month.
At this time of year, bangers and mash served up with some hearty greens - proper comfort food - makes me very happy indeed. My local farm shop make their own huge, delicious sausages from their own hand-reared pigs. They taste even better than the best supermarket sausages and have a unique chunky texture. We don't often eat sausages so when we do, we make it count! I always oven-cook sausages because it's the easiest way to ensure they are evenly cooked through inside and have a uniform colour on the outside.
Inspired by the lovely seasonal fruit & vegetables in my Riverford box, I made some apple and potato mash. Apple and pork are best friends so apple mash is perfect with sausages. Apples give mashed potato a fresh, almost citrusy note, turning it into a very mild, earthy apple sauce. It's also a good way to use up an abundance of apples at this time of year.
Finely shredded savoy cabbage and leeks lightly braised in some stock and chopped bacon made up the veggie component of the dish. Savoy cabbage retains its bite and fresh flavour when braised for just a few minutes, and the addition of bacon makes it super tasty. The leftover braising liquid can also be used to make a quick and delicious gravy.
Bangers with Apple Mash & Braised Cabbage 'n' Leeks
Serves: 4
Prep time: 15-20 minutes
Cooking time: 25-30 minutes
Ingredients:
8 large organic pork sausages (or 12 smaller)
For the apple mash:
3 dessert apples
700g potatoes
15g Butter
Splash of milk (optional)
Salt & pepper to taste
For the braised cabbage & leeks
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 large leek, outer layers removed, halved lengthways, finely sliced & washed well
2 rashers smoked organic back bacon, fat removed & finely chopped
Good pinch of dried thyme
Half a savoy cabbage, outer leaves removed, finely sliced, core removed
500ml good quality organic chicken stock
Method:
To oven cook the sausages:
Pre-heat the oven to 200 C / 180 fan / gas mark 4.
Place the sausages on a rack on top of a baking tray (or use a grill tray if it will fit in the oven). If you want to you can prick your sausages to allow any fat to drip out.
Cook the sausages in the oven for around 20-25 minutes until they are cooked through and piping hot throughout. Cooking times may vary depending on the thickness of your sausage.
How to make apple mash:
Peel the apples and cut them into quarters. Remove any apple core from each apple-quarter.
Peel the potatoes and cut them into pieces around half the size of the apple pieces. This is because the apple pieces cook more quickly than the potatoes.
Place the chopped potatoes and apples in a large pan of cold water and bring to the boil. Simmer for 25 minutes until tender.
Drain the apples and potatoes very well and return them to the pan. Add the butter and mash until smooth. Season to taste with Salt & pepper. Add a splash of milk to the mash if a looser texture is desired. Keep warm until ready to serve.
How to make the braised cabbage & leeks:
In a large saucepan with a lid, heat the olive oil,
Add the leeks, bacon and thyme. Cook for around 4-5 minutes over a high heat, stirring often, until the bacon is cooked and the leeks are soft.
Keeping the heat high, add the cabbage and stock. Give everything a really good stir and put the lid on. Keeping the heat high, cook for a further 4-5 minutes until the cabbage is soft but still has some bite.
Drain and reserve any excess stock and keep vegetables warm until ready to serve. Excess stock can be used to make a delicious gravy if you wish.
Disclaimer: This is a sponsored post. Words and opinions are my own. The European Commission and CHAFEA do not accept any responsibility for any use that may be made of the information it contains.