Sausages and garlic mash with onion, red wine and rosemary gravy

Serves 4

450g/1lb meaty pork sausages

A little oil for cooking

For the garlic mash:

900g/2lb peeled floury potatoes, such as Maris Pipers

50g/2oz butter

3 garlic cloves, crushed

2 tablespoons chopped parsley

A little milk

For the onion, red wine and rosemary gravy:

40g/1 1/2oz butter

450g/1lb onions, halved and thinly sliced

1/2 teaspoon sugar

300ml/10fl oz gutsy red wine, such as Cabernet Sauvignon

1 tablespoon plain flour

600ml/1 pint beef stock

The leaves from 1 large stalk of rosemary

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

1. For the gravy, melt the butter in a large frying pan, add the onions and the sugar and cook them over a medium heat for 20-30 minutes, stirring them every now and then, until they are soft and nicely browned. Add the red wine, increase the heat a little and simmer quite rapidly until the wine has almost disappeared. Stir in the flour and cook for a few seconds, then add the beef stock, rosemary and some salt and pepper and simmer for a further 20 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, for the garlic mash, cook the potatoes in a pan of salted water for 20 minutes until tender. After 10 minutes, heat a little oil in a frying pan, add the sausages and cook then over a medium-high heat for 10 minutes, turning now and then as they brown.
3. Melt the butter for the mash in a small pan, add the garlic and cook very gently for 2-3 minutes without browning. Keep hot. Drain the potatoes, return to the pan and mash until smooth. Stir in the garlic butter, parsley, salt and pepper and enough milk to make a smooth mash.
4. Spoon the garlic mash into the centre of 4 warmed plates and rest the sausages alongside. Spoon over some of the gravy and serve.

Recipe by Debbie Major