Bangers and Mash

In 133 days, my husband, my mom, my step-dad and I will be on our way to London, England. As you can tell, I’m terribly excited and I can’t wait. In order to get ready for this trip, I’ve been searching for authentic British recipes, and although the Brits are not known for their gourmet meals, they did invent one of my favorite meals, bangers and mash. If you've never had this British dish, you're in for a treat. It's quite easy to make and it's definitely a crowd pleaser. A banger, by the way, is another name for sausages...so start banging!

INGREDIENTS (serves 2 to 4, depending on how hungry you are)

• 1 to 1-1/2 lb. pork or beef sausages (about 4)
• 1 large onion, thinly sliced
• ¼ cup red wine
• 3/4 cup beef stock
• 4 large baking potatoes, peeled and halved
• 2 cloves garlic, peeled
• Butter
• Salt and pepper
• Milk
• 2 tbsp. chives, finely chopped

DIRECTIONS

1. Peel and cut the potatoes in half. Place the 'taters and garlic in a pot covered with cold water and bring to a boil. Boil for 15 to 20 minutes until soft. When done remove from heat, drain and set aside.
2. Prick the sausages with a fork a few times and fry them in a large skillet over medium heat, adding a tablespoon of vegetable oil if they are very lean sausages. Cook for 15 - 20 minutes until cooked through. Remove to a platter and tent with foil to keep warm or place them in a warm (200 degree) oven.
3. Remove all but one tablespoon of grease from the frying pan and add the onions (you can add more oil if your sausages did not render enough grease). Fry the onions until golden brown, about 10 minutes. Add the wine and beef stock and stir until the liquid starts to thicken and reduce, 5 to 10 more minutes. Season to taste.
4. While the onion gravy is cooking, mash the potatoes and garlic, adding butter and milk until the mashed potatoes get to your desired consistency. Add the chives and season with salt and pepper.
5. Serve the bangers and mash on a warm platter and pour the onion gravy over it.