How About Eating Something Different for St. Patrick’s Day This Year!

St. Patrick’s Day is coming up soon. So, what are you planning to eat? If you’re like most Americans corned beef and cabbage is the obvious answer. But if you’ve visited Ireland, you know there are lots of other delicious options when it comes to Irish cuisine.

Take Bangers & Mash for instance. It’s a favorite at pubs in Ireland and goes down very well with a nice pint of cider

In fact when I returned from Ireland in 2014, I came up with this version of Bangers & Mash using some of Central New York’s native cider from Beak & Skiff’s in LaFayette.

Before we get cooking, let’s just clear up what that odd recipe name signifies for those who aren’t familiar with it. The "bangers" are sausages and the "mash" is mashed potatoes. All slathered in a delicious onion gravy, this pub grub favorite is very likely to make you feel all warm and cozy. Be aware, this is not a quick recipe and it generates quite a few dishes to wash, but the result is well worth it.

CNY Bangers and Mash

Ingredients

• 4 apple chicken sausages
• 4 Tbsps butter, divided in half
• 1 large onion, diced
• 1 12-oz bottle hard apple cider
• 1 Tbsp flour mixed with 1 Tb softened butter
• 2 Tbsps Worcestershire sauce
• 1 cup chicken stock
• salt and pepper to taste
• 2 lbs red potatoes, cut into pieces
• 1/4 c milk
• 1 Tbsp Dijon mustard
• 3/4 cup Dubliner cheese, grated

Instructions

1. Boil potatoes until tender.
2. While potatoes are boiling, brown sausages and onions with 2 Tbsps butter in a skillet for 10 minutes.
3. Add cider to skillet and cook until mixture is reduced, about 10 minutes.
4. Remove sausages temporarily to a bowl.
5. Stir flour and butter mixture into cider and onions.
6. Add Worcestershire and chicken stock. Salt and pepper to taste.
7. Stir until thickened slightly.
8. Return sausages to gravy until heated through.
9. Mash potatoes with 2 Tbsps butter, milk, mustard and grated cheese.
10. Serve sausages and gravy over mashed potatoes.

We’ve recently started a Pinterest board where we’re collecting all kinds of Irish recipes. You may want to check it out for more Irish dishes to try for St. Patrick's Day and throughout the year.