Bangers & Mash with Irish Tea Gravy

Every St. Paddy’s Day, my vintage green teacups beckon me to give them some celebratory air time. After a dust and a wash, a generous pour of fragrant Irish tea brings these treasures back to life.An elegant cup of Irish tea is hardly the type of tableware you’d see at a pub, but in this Bangers & Mash recipe, tea offers unexpected savory richness. The brisk taste and brilliant color of Irish Black tea are fully appreciated in this updated version of a British classic.The taste of tea in this gravy is less assertive than if we had made it with Guinness but stronger than chicken or beef stock. The coppery shade of red is especially beautiful, glistening with hearty appeal.When plating, I like to pour a few spoonfuls of gravy off to the side of a center mound of mash. Place the sausages on top and finish with a splash of good luck green–peas or parsley–and dinner is served!Bangers & Mash with Irish Tea Gravy

Serves 4.

Ingredients:

{Mashed Potatoes}

4 large potatoes, Yukon or Russet

2 Tbsp butter, preferably Irish!

3/4 cup of chicken broth or milk

salt and pepper to taste

{Bangers}

8 bangers or pork sausages

1 Tbsp vegetable oil

{Gravy}

1 Tbsp butter

1 medium onion, finely diced

2 Tbsp flour

2 cups chicken or beef broth

3 Irish tea bags

{Garnishes}

peas

parsley, cut or springs

Equipment:

large pot

large skillet

small pot

Directions:

1. Place the potatoes in a large pot. Fill the pot with water, covering the surface of the potatoes. Bring the pot to a boil, then continue to cook the potatoes for 10 minutes, until the potatoes are fork tender. Drain the potatoes, then mash them. Add the butter, stock or milk, and salt & pepper. Cover and set aside.

  1. 2. Add the oil to a large skillet, then cook the sausages over medium heat until cooked through. Remove the sausages from the heat and set aside.

3. Bring the broth to a boil in a small pot. When the broth comes to a boil, turn off the heat and add the tea bags to steep for 5 minutes. Remove the tea bags and discard them.

4. In the same skillet that you cooked the sausages in (with the fond), add the diced onion and cook on low-medium heat until soft and translucent. Be careful not to burn the onions. When the onions are cooked, mix the flour in. Now add the tea stock to the pan, deglazing the bits from the bottom of the skillet. Bring this gravy to a boil, then turn off the heat.

5. To serve, divide the mashed potatoes into 4 portions into 4 plates. Spoon some gravy into each plate, then add 2 of the sausages. Serve with peas and garnish with parsley. Happy St. Patrick’s Day!

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