SAUSAGES IN ONION GRAVY WITH ROOT VEGETABLE CRUSH

A crush is just a neat culinary term for what you get when you
mash the wrong type of potatoes (i.e. it’s a bit lumpy), which would
also apply to this recipe if the vegetables you use don’t cook
completely in sync with each other, so call this a root vegetable
mash if you get a completely smooth result and a crush if you don’t.
This amount of gravy is enough for at least four servings so if
you want more, double it. The type and quantity of vegetables is
just a guide.
Sausages (any number)
1–2 onions
4 tsp gravy browning
1⁄2 pint (300 ml) water
1⁄2 glass of sherry or cider
1 turnip
1 parsnip
2 potatoes
Butter
Milk
1 small swede
4 carrots
Oil
Method
1. Warm some oil in a large ovenproof dish with the oven set at
Gas Mark 5 (190ºC) and peel and slice the onions.
2. Put the sausages in the ovenproof dish and cook for about 15
minutes before you add the onions. (Make sure the onions are
well coated with the oil.)
3. Meanwhile, peel and chop the vegetables to roughly the same
size, then bring them to the boil in a large saucepan of cold
water, cover with a lid and simmer gently for about 15 minutes,
or until the vegetables are just soft. Strain; add a lump of butter
and a splash of milk to the pan, then mash.
4. Pour 1⁄2 pint (250 ml) of boiling water into a measuring jug
and mix 4 teaspoons of gravy browning to a paste in a small
bowl or cup with a little more cold water.
5. When the sausages are cooked, spoon the onions into a clean
saucepan, leaving any excess oil behind, pour in the boiling
water and put the pan over a low heat. (Leave the sausages in
the oven on a very low heat while you make the gravy.)
6. Add the diluted gravy browning to the pan followed by the
sherry or cider, stirring constantly with a fork or a small hand
whisk to prevent lumps. Keep stirring for a couple of minutes
until the gravy thickens.
7. Put the sausages onto plates, cover with the onion gravy and
serve with the vegetables.