I’m cross. I’m tired. I’m drugged to the gills courtesy of my wrist joint deciding quite suddenly on Saturday that no, it really didn’t want to work any more. I’m in a splint and have a date for an MRI coming my way. The ankle surgery may or may not take place when it’s scheduled depending on the MRI outcome. I feel all nostalgic as I spent the morning in the hospital where I gave birth three years ago yesterday. We got a bit of a smack, which came at the same time as finding out whom we have to thank unreservedly.
Fun times.
I bring you a foodie post because typing is pretty painful.
Sunday roasts are something of a norm in England, although we typically do Sunday curries instead. We do, however, indulge in one English food tradition in the Autumn and Winter. When Melissa and Jeff are over, we almost always have toad in the hole on the night before their flights back to Sweden. Toad in the hole is warming, filling food that makes one feel all is right with the world when you have it. I found a recipe that I adore as well, and I made it Saturday night.
I had never had toad in the hole until I met Alastair. Now I look forward to it every crisp Autumntime. It’s maybe not the healthiest of dishes but we don’t have it very often, so it balances. It’s basically sausages baked in a Yorkshire pudding mix (pudding, in this instance, being more of a bread). We serve it with lashings of mustard (you can also use HP Sauce or gravy), some Brussels sprouts (don’t freak out, use any green veggie you’d like), and chunky mashed potatoes.
I found a really good batter recipe from Nigella Lawson’s new book, she who is controversial in the political and fashion fronts. Yes, she’s posh. No, I don’t care – I like some of her recipes, so I go with it.
It’s a really easy dish to make, looks seriously impressive, doesn’t require many ingredients and isn’t fussy, and is one of those “home cooked” feeling meals that makes you like life again. It is as follows.
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The following is what you need for the batter:
350mL/12 full oz milk
4 eggs
pinch of salt
ground pepper
250g/1c flour
thyme sprigs
Whisk the milk and eggs together and add the salt and pepper, then whisk in the flour to make a smooth batter.
You then take sausages (I plan on 3 per person).
(I make my veggie toad in the hole in a separate pan.)
Heat the oven to 220C/gas mark 7/425F. Poke a hole in the side of the sausages (keeps them from bursting) and brown the sausages on the outside for a minute per side or so, in a hot pan on the stove. They don’t have to be cooked through as they’re going to be completely cooked while baking.
Pop them into a large baking casserole dish.
Pour the batter over the sausages and pop the thyme sprigs on top of the mix.
Bake for about 40 minutes or until the batter has risen and the middle is set. A key with toad in the hole is to not open the oven any more than necessary, as Yorkshire puddings like hot ovens.
The dish, when cooked, looks impressive.
It tastes even better.
-S.
Stateside yank here; used to live in Salisbury though. I know full well that sausage there can be a different ballgame. Can you give me some guidance about what kind(s) might be best suited for this dish? Thanks and love.
Looks quite pretty with the thyme sprigs on top of it. Just curious though, do you make a separate veggie one or do you segregate your veggie sausages in the same dish?
I’d like to try to make this.
Do you think Italian sausage is appropriate?
I’m a much bigger fan of chorizo, though. Do you think that would be ok?
Maura – ooooh, not thought about that one. It’s been a while, but I remember that most deli counters at the supermarkets had sausages. My memory is dodgy, but I remember those sausages looking more like the Cumberland/Lincolnshire-style ones that we use here. It’s true the usual breakfast-y style sausages in the States aren’t best for this dish, you need the big ones mixed with some seasonings. I found this website (not sure if the prices on there are high or not, but the sausages look right)! http://www.englandsfinestfood.com/ Does anyone else know what kinds of sausages in the States might work? If you can’t get English-style sausages, you can always use ground/minced pork sausage meat (throw in 2 tbsp sage and parsley) which you shape into a hamburger-like patty, fry for a minute each side until brown, and then follow the recipe as above.
Jennifer – I usually make mine in a separate dish, but they have been made in the same one with a “veggie segregation” perimeter strictly marked out!
Writer’s Block – I checked with the resident expert here, who said that chorizo can be used but probably wouldn’t be very nice in this particular dish as the spices may overpower the batter.
I live stateside! If you’re asking for sausage input, I’d honestly say go with plain/italian seasoned bratwurst or something like that. It’s not the same, really, but the texture/meatiness/whatever works in the dish. I hadn’t even thought of trying the little maple breakfast sausages in toad in the hole, but I can imagine it wouldn’t taste right!
If you’re really dedicated, you can either make your own, or try to find a local butcher who makes this kind of sausage. Since British sausages are one of the things we really miss, we’ve actually gone to the trouble and found that there’s ONE butcher in our city who makes them. And who sells kidneys. Those are terrible to try and find here too. Steak and kidney pie is a freak occurrence due to kidney scarcity.
Your toad in the hole looks pretty fantastic — but I still say I want my sausages and yorkies separate! :D
Stateside here! I’ve never had this, but looking at it I agree that I’d do an Italian sausage or a bratwurst type sausage. Whole Foods has an array of chicken sausages, those might be good? I like something with more spice, so I wouldn’t mind the spice of the chorizo but I think the texture of it might be off – the chorizo might be too dense?
No words here… just (slurp)
Toad in the Hole is really “sausage cake”??? I have no idea how I ever missed that….so trying this as soon as I get my kitchen back from home improvement hell….
I’m more of a veggie sausage person too. So the sausage talk has me…..zzzzz. Wait, your wrist. Yikes. We need to get you with some device that lets you blog hands free. Wait, that seems more selfish than it was meant to be. Take your time to heal, and we will be here when you need us. Just, OUCH.
So sorry to hear you are hurting! Sending comforting wishes your way. Thanks for sharing the terrific recipe!
That looks fantabulously delicious. With the weather here finally warming up, I’m enjoying the tasty flavoursome delights of…salad. I’m SO not a Summer person, and in Africa of course it’s winter one day, and then stiflingly hot the next. So yesterday we were still heating the house, winter pj’s and last night we had to suddenly switch gear, can the heating open the windows and ditch the winter pj’s for more summery alternatives. Just.Like.That. I’m telling you this, because I want more winter food – and your post just sent me into that “Oh my god I can’t wait to get out of this climate” moods.
In three years the lemonheads will be out of nursery and at school so your drop in income will be offset by the massive saving in fees (unless you’re going for private education in which case in future it will be batter only and no sausage for you)
Husband won’t eat toad in the hole – I blame his mother for not bringing him up properly.
Hmm, not sure I approve of Nigella’s recipe.
Love the thyme but she’s making a full milk batter which won’t rise anywhere near as well as if you use 1/2 milk and 1/2 water (uber fluffy crispy goodness):
2 free-range eggs
125g plain flour
150ml milk mixed with 150ml cold water
and she’s missed the teaspoon of Dijon mustard in the batter mix :)
Also you have to let the batter stand for at least half an hour after whisking (something to do with starch, gluten and generally a good excuse to have a cooks glass whilst waiting).
Oh, and apologies for being overly opinionated but Toad in the Hole is kind of a family thing with 3 generations of tweaking behind it!
Posh, and ridiculously over-act-y, but such a lovely shape!
A fan of both sausage and batter individually, I can’t quite get TITH. I think I’m still in the very literal emotional stage of childhood where I cried because I thought Bubble and Squeak was a meal made out of my friend’s guinea pigs… Toad in the Hole saounds awfully… real.
Lets’s not go near spotted dick, shall we?
I’m having keyboard trouble. You can tell.
I love Toad in the Hole, and as Rob says we have had much tweaking of various recipes to the point where I never weigh out my flour, I go by feel and sound!!
Have you tried scattering a few red onions over the sausages too? Gives it a fab flavour! And when we’re feeling particularly decadant we wrap the sausages in bacon.
I know what I’m having for tea tonight… :)
We love toads, but agree you need skimmed milk or half and half
This is the last thing my fat ass needed to see. It looks fantastic.
@ Rob – I feel I should bow down to your legacy of Toad in the Hole! But I’m with you completely on the milk- Nigella’s recipe calls for full-fat milk, I would only ever use skim as I think it makes it fluffier. I’m also with you on the mustard, but I prefer to soak my finished toad in Colman’s and I also usually make mustard mash. I have a thing for mustard. I am definitely going to try your sister’s recommendation of red onions, though…
I am suddenly VERY HUNGRY.
This looks really good! And I LOVE Nigella, she’s amazing. :)
Sorry about your wrists!
I think I’d love that! Wouldn’t bratwurst work?
this looks fab but our daughter is allergic to cows milk and soya, wonder if I could use oat milk or would it be too watery? hmmm. may try it anyway as just bought some sausage tonight to do bangers and mash this weekend….
Hi, being the Canadian daughter of English parents you recipe for Toad in the Hole got me excited. Tonight I made the dish and it was a great sucess. This will be a new family favourite. thanks!