Toad In The Hole With Onion Gravy

'Have you ever had Toad In The Hole' i asked Rachel.

No was the reply... I was flabbergasted, how could someone not have had the joy of eating such a great classic British dish?

Thinking about it though i guess it isn't that fashionable at the moment and hasn't been for a while, you don't see it in any restaurants or even on many pub menus anymore, such a shame. 

And as Rachel has only been on these shores for half of her life she can perhaps be excused for not sampling it, it's obviously not that popular in Ireland, must be something to do with the lack of potatoes...

I've made it more patriotic, and a lovely yellowy colour, by adding a good dollop of English Mustard to the batter mix!

Ingredients -

8 Sausages (i used spicy beef)

100g plain flour

Tsp English mustard

1 egg

Pinch salt and pepper

300ml semi skimmed milk

Tsp thyme

Olive oil

For the gravy -

400ml beef stock

2 red onions, sliced

100ml red wine

A good shake of Worcestershire sauce

Tsp soft brown sugar

   

• Heat the oven to 200/220C fan/not fan
• Add a tbsp of olive oil to a 30 x 20cm roasting tin, add the sausages and mix around to make sure they're evenly coated. Bake in the oven for 15 minutes
• Meanwhile make the batter, sieve the flour into a large bowl and add a little salt and pepper,
• Make a well in the middle and break in the egg, add a little milk and the mustard and then stir combining a little flour with the wet mixture, keep adding a little more milk and combining in the rest of the flour until you're left with a smooth creamy batter.
• Take the hot roasting tin out of the oven and pour the batter evenly around, it'll bubble with the fat from the sausages
• Bake in the oven for 40 minutes until the batter has risen and is crispy. poke a knife into the middle it should be set, not sticky or runny.

 While the toad in the hole is baking make the gravy -

• Slowly cook the sliced onions in a little olive oil until soft, approx 15 minutes
• Sprinkle over the sugar and mix, cook for another 5 minutes
• Sprinkle over the flour and mix well
• Add the red wine and turn up the heat
• Add the stock and Worcestershire sauce and bring to the boil, simmer until thickened. 

Serves 4 with veg (something green like broccoli)