Fiona has shared with us Jonathan Gianfreda’s fail-safe method for cooking sausages.  He was the man behind the legendary butchers shop, Jonathan’s in Smith Street, Collingwood.  Sadly Jonathan is no longer with us, however Fi continues to cook sausages the same way since the day he taught her back in the early 90s.  There’s no piercing skins, and plump moist sausages are always guaranteed. 

serves 4 (1½ sausages per person)

1 packet of six pure beef sausages (or your flavour choice)

750g Russet Burbank potatoes, washed, peeled and quartered (use a knife to peel if you’d like to make crispy potato skins – see recipe)

250ml (1 cup) milk

40g unsalted butter

sea salt

freshly ground pepper

¼ chopped flat-leaf parsley leaves

Torello Farm onion jam, to serve

Place potatoes in a large saucepan, cover with cold water add a teaspoon of salt and bring to the boil over a high heat.  Reduce heat to a simmer and cook for 20 minutes or until tender when pierced with a knife.  Drain well and return potatoes to saucepan. 

Using a potato masher, mash the potato, then add milk and butter, continue to mash until the potato is a creamy consistency.  Add seasoning to taste.  Stir through parsley.

While potatoes are cooking, place sausages in a large frying pan and add enough water to a depth of 1cm.  Place frying pan over a high heat, bring water to a high simmer then reduce heat to a low simmer and cook until water has evaporated, about 15 minutes.  Increase heat to medium-high and continue cooking sausages until brown, about 2 minutes, turn sausages over then cook another 2 minutes or until browned each side.  

To serve, dollop mash onto warmed plates and top with sausages and serve with onion jam.

Fiona Hammond © May 2018 

Recipe, photos and styling by Fiona Hammond. www.fionahammondfood.com