Toad in the Hole

Toad In The Hole Ingredients

Take three fresh Toads, frogs just will not do! Seriously now this recipe is for Beef Sausages but a Batter pudding is a great base for cooking many various meats and for also using up the Sunday roast or any Barbecue left overs!

First the batter pudding

225g/8oz plain flour
8 reasonably sized eggs (free-range if possible as they taste better)
570ml/1 pint full fat milk

For the toad-in-the-hole, sieve the plain flour into a bowl and make a well in the centre. Whisk in the eggs and milk to make a smooth batter. Place in the fridge for at least an hour to rest but even better overnight if you have the time. (Any lumps settle to the bottom and can be drained out)!

Other Ingredients

6 Big beef sausages or 10 beef chipolatas (Small thin sausages)
75g/3oz beef dripping or Lard
2 sprigs fresh thyme, leaves only (If you only have dried soak them in a small amount of water)
salt and freshly ground black pepper

For the gravy

50g/2oz butter
2 onions, sliced
1 packet of dried french onion soup or clear vegetable soup
400ml/14fl oz water
salt and freshly ground black pepper (Not so much salt with the french onion soup mix OK)

Putting it all together

Heat the frying pan on a low heat and add the Sausages. Prick the sausages with a fork and keep them moving. Sausages produce a lot of fat so let them cook in their own fat. If you do not have so much time add a touch of olive oil and you can cook faster. Once the Sausages are lightly browned all over you are ready to take them off of the heat.

preheat the oven to 220C/425F/Gas 7

Place the beef dripping or lard into a roasting tin and place in the oven. Remove the batter from the fridge and seive to get rid of any lumps and then whisk lightly until smooth and combined - it may have separated slightly while standing. Add the thyme leaves and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper.

Remove the roasting tin from the oven, add the sausages and pour over the batter. put the tray back into the oven and bake for 35-40 minutes.

Now open the oven door to release some heat and also the build up of steam that will stop the batter from crisping on the top. Lower the oven temperature to 180C/350F/Gas 4 and cook for a further ten to fifteen minutes, until golden-brown. Remove from the oven and leave to stand for a few minutes.

Once you have reduced the heat and while the Toad in the Hole is brwoning in the oven it is time to make your gravy

Heat most of the butter in a pan, add the onions and cook for ten minutes, or until soft.
In another saucepan add the soup mix to cold water and bring to the boil. now pour into the frying pan with the onions and allow to simmer for a further 5 minutes or so to thicken. Add Black pepper and Salt to taste. and the final dab of butter to richen still further...

To serve, slice up your Toad into generous portions and place onto dinner plates and then pour the gravy all over.

You can also serve with boiled potatoes and vegetables and of course with Roasted potatoes if you wish and have space in your oven seeing as the oven is on.
Anyway whatever you serve it with or indeed without it is a tasty and versatile dish our good old English Toad in the Hole.