Quote:
Originally Posted by
Koukouvagia 
Michael, I didn't know bangers and mash has cabbage in it, really? I usually make my bangers with an onion gravy - care to share a recipe with cabbage in it?
It might be a bit more of an Irish tradition than British to put cabbage in the dish, I guess more like colcannon.
I don't have a recipe per say but rather a method.
Strongly seasoned but lean mashed potatoes, smothered in a tart onion and cabbage braise, topped with deliciously rich and fatty pork sausages.
Take your left over mashed potatoes (or make new) and add a bunch of fairly strong seasonings, but not to much butter or cream; they are balanced by the ample fat in the sausages.
Some common seasonings mustard, nutmeg (not much) green onions, kale (or other greens), lots of S&P, paprika, just about anything savory.
Make a gravy containing onions and cabbage. It should be slightly sweet and a bit sour or acidic as this will tie the potatoes and sausages together. It should be bright and intensely flavoured. Good additions are greens,green onions, carroway seeds, or even a few poppy seeds, a splash of vinegar or lime juice (even juice concentrate) maybe some cubed lean ham or bacon (canadian / irish style bacon that is). Beer or wine (usually leftover from the night before's festivities would also be acceptable)
For the sausages you must use full fat english style sausages. They should be gently simmered in beer or other flavourful liquid until 140 degrees internal and then quickly wiped off and given a hard sear to produce good markings and color. The end temp should be 150 - 155 for home cooking meat from a reliable butcher but 160 is the 'legal' temp you need to hit commercially.
The sausages should not burst or split, if they do you are cooking at too high of a temp, or you started the sear with an overcooked or maybe torn skin sasauge. The idea is you want the diner to cut them open and have all the lovely juices flow down over the gravy and mash (just like a soft egg, which by the way would go great with this dish).
Anyway mashed on the bottom, followed by the 'gravy' or braise (i call it a braise because there is not usually so much stuff in a gravy) and then topped by the sausage.
I don't think that it can actually be done wrong - it's a new meal often made from leftover food. It's also a 'traditional' dish so everyone and their grandmother will have a favourite.
Kind of like there is no "proper" recipe for Stew, Chile or numerous others.