Bangers ‘n’ Mash with Devil’s Gravy

Bangers and Mash is a British staple that I’ve never tried.  Some dumb preconceived notion that British food was blah or bland.  I was wrong and I’m very sorry for that, as I’ve missed out all these years.  Yes, my family has a traditional rib roast and Yorkshire pudding every year for Christmas, and I absolutely love it.  Thanks Mom. I am happy to say and admit I loved the Bangers and Mash and will definitely fix it again soon. 

The devil’s sauce starts with a finely chopped onion, carrot, celery and lardons cooked until browned.  Remove from the pan and make your rue.  Add 2 cups beef stock, tomato paste and wine, add vegetable and lardons back into the pan with a bouquet garni (thyme, bay leaf, parsley stalks and peppercorns) and simmer for 15 minutes.  Pour thru a sieve and add cayenne pepper.

The potatoes boil in salted water until tender and are then put threw the rice mill or food mill. Add milk, a little nutmeg and salt.  Meanwhile melt butter in a skillet and add 4 shallots finely chopped and cook until soft, add to the sauce.  Cook your sausages until just done and brown on all sides.  Serve sauce over sausages and mash. Voila!!!! This was so delicious and another success, Thank you Rachel Khoo and The Little Paris Kitchen.

Open Faced Sandwiches

The open faced sandwich is one of my favorites.  As a young person my mom would mix up some tuna, put a piece of cheese on top and place it under the broiler. This was and still is one of my favorite open faced sandwiches.  Although there are so many options I don’t tend to experiment much in this arena.  After trying a few of Rachel’s variations I’m looking forward to trying more of her many options in The Little Paris Kitchen.

In my area there are a plethora of artisanal breads available.  I find the best choices at Trader Joe’s.  I chose a crusty exterior and soft interior baguette.  With the baguettes it’s a; buy it today, eat it today bread. My first choice was a sweet sandwich, Strawberries with Crème Fraiche and mint on the sliced baguette; untoasted.  It was very delicious and perfect as breakfast, snack or even desert.  It almost reminded me of strawberry shortcake of sorts.  The next day I pulled out the radishes, sliced them super thin and placed them atop a slice of the baguette that was lightly toasted, slathered with unsalted butter and sprinkled with course sea salt.  WOW!! It was so tasty and savory. Another great snack item or serve it alongside a salad.

Rachel’s open faced suggestions, on a savory note are;

Roasted Ham and Pear, brush the baguette with a little extra virgin olive oil, thinly sliced pear and strips of roast ham.

Avocado and grapefruit; sprinkled with a little olive oil and salt.

And, Goat’s cheese with Fig and Walnuts, then place under the broiler for a minute or two.

On the sweet side;

Caramelized Apples; butter the bread, lay down thinly sliced apples, lightly salt and place under the broiler for a minute or two.  You can also use bananas, plums or pears.

Chocolate and Olive Oil;  brush bread with a little olive oil and top with cold grated chocolate, place under the broiler until the chocolate melts.

Peach and Brie; top with a few slices of each.

I will be trying all of these.  Thank you Rachel.

Cauliflower Bake with Hazelnut Crunch Crust

An ode to Béchamel.  Oh how I love the French and their sauces, but this is my fav. I’ve yet to find a vegetable or carb (even eggs and meat) that doesn’t taste wonderful with a béchamel, YUM! This rendition includes cheese; the French call it a Mornay Sauce.

2 tbsp. butter, ¼ cup AP flour, 2 cups of lukewarm milk, ¼ of an onion with 1 clove and 1 bay leaf used for infusing of the sauce and removed later.  A pinch of white pepper, nutmeg and salt, and grated Gruyere, 3-lbs cauliflower cut into florets, ¼ cup hazelnuts chopped and 1 slice extra-crunchy toast, roughly chopped.  The Mornay is poured over the cauliflower and sprinkled with the nuts and crumbs.  

Once baked the tender cauliflower and cheesy morney balance so nicely with the crunchy toasted topping.  I was compelled to take just one more bite, and another, and another.  Needless to say it wasn’t long until it all disappeared. As I taste this delight I can imagine how lovely it would be to use broccoli or maybe a combination of a variety of vegetables.  I might even use a blend of cheeses next time.  Another hit Rachel, thanks to “The little Paris kitchen”.

Three-Colored “Shepherd’s Pie”

Fond memories abound when remembering Shepherd’s Pie from my childhood.  Who doesn’t love ground beef and mashed potatoes?  When I saw this version I was so excited to give it a try.  My mouth began to water and the anticipation was mounting, I could hardly wait to dig in.

Needless to say I was very disappointed.  The recipe won’t be included as there is something terribly wrong with it.  Yes, I know, you say “well, maybe YOU did something wrong Candace”.  I thought of that, but after carefully reviewing the recipe discovered that some of the measurements were not right, which lead to consistency issues and ultimately this recipe flopped.  With some adjustments I have no doubt that it would be better.  Although I hesitated to even taste it, I did and discovered the flavor was good, but as you can see from the picture it did NOT look appetizing at all.

The amount of stock used in this recipe was ridiculous and the purees were a bit too thin.  As you can see they sunk into the overabundance of gravy.  I won’t sit here and speculate, because I am just a home cook and no professional.  I’m just saying it didn’t work for me.  But hey…. I think I will dig out that old tried and true recipe I’ve got around here somewhere.  Sorry Rachel Khoo.

Creamy Potato Bake

For decades I’ve been making my family’s version of Scalloped Potatoes the ultimate comfort food, hot creamy deliciousness.  Rachel prefers to use a firm potato, whereas I prefer a baking potato.  I love the way the potato starches bind the cream for a thicker, richer sauce.  My family’s recipe is basic and simple and oh so yummy.  But, I have to admit Rachel’s version has so much more depth of flavor and still so simple to prepare.  My plan is to combine the two and develop a new family favorite.

Using 2-lbs of your choice of potatoes, 1 ¼ cups of milk, 1 ¼ cups heavy cream, a pinch of nutmeg, 1 tsp. Dijon mustard, and 1 tsp. salt, all combined and placed into a casserole dish that’s been slathered with 2 tbsp. soft butter and crushed garlic paste. Oh and don’t forget to sprinkle with a fresh herb once baked to bubbly perfection.

I added a crisp salad with a lite vinaigrette.  You could also add chopped smoked salmon, the finely grated zest of a lemon and a handful of chopped dill to the potatoes.  Or add crispy chopped bacon pieces and a ¼ cup of your favorite cheese and a handful of chopped parsley.  The possibilities are limitless. I highly recommend you try this one and add it to your family recipe file as I have.  Thank you Rachel Khoo.