Toad-in-the-Hole with Onion Gravy

The dark days of February are sometimes damp and dreary making it perfect for hunkering down with a good book and easy to make comfort food like toad-in-the-hole a classic winter meal and great when served with onion gravy. I am not sure of the origins of the recipe but the batter is the same as you use for Yorkshire puddings which was a cheap and filling dish using eggs and milk from the farmyard. In Yorkshire the pudding still comes as a large, 8-inch across, pudding filled with gravy. This same batter mix is used with toad-in-the-hole along with sausages which were also regarded as cheap meat for many years.

Recipe for Toad-in-the-Hole:

Toad-in-the-Hole a classic winter meal

For 4-people

4 large sausages or a pack of breakfast sausage (kids prefer these)

4 -eggs

1 cup milk

¼ cup melted butter or oil

1 cup flour

Pinch of salt

Oil

Heat oven to 350f

1: Place sausages in a large pan – the pan should be 2-inches deep and be large enough to accommodate all the sausages plus batter so either a 9×9 or 9×12 inch metal pan works well.

2: Add enough oil to coat the sausages;

3: Put the sausages into the 350-degree oven for 10-15 minutes until slightly brown on the outside;

While the sausages are cooking make the batter:

4: Add eggs, melted butter and milk to a blender – mix well;

5: Add flour to the blender and let it run for about 3 minutes;

6: Remove the hot pan with sausages from the over and pour the batter over them

7:  Increase oven temperature to 400f

8. Put the batter/sausages into the oven for 15 minutes to rise rapidly – do not open the oven!

9: Lower the temperature to 350 for another 20 minutes to cook the batter.

Onion Gravy:

½ large onion, sliced

1 oz butter

2 tbsp Cornstarch or flour

1 ½ cups beef stock.

1: Melt the butter over a gentle heat;

2: Add sliced onions and cook for 3-5 minutes – do not let them get to the brown stage;

3: Mix cornstarch or flour with ¼ cup cold water to make a slurry;

4: Add ½ cup beef stock to the flour & water mix,

5: Add to the onions and stir quickly;

5: Slowly add remaining stock, continuing to stir;

6: Increase heat to medium and bring the gravy to the boil, continuing to stir;

7: Decrease heat to simmer the gravy for 2-3 minutes so that the flour is cooked, and the gravy is smooth.

Note: If the gravy is too runny, add another teaspoon of flour mixed with water.

Serve the gravy over the toad-in-the-hole.

Mashed potatoes go very well with this comfort food and onion gravy goes well with mashed potatoes too!