A British favourite, toad-in-the-hole, with its succulent sausages and comforting batter, is always a winner. And it's cheap to make too. Vegetarians can replace the sausages and stock with veggie options.
Ingredients
- 250g plain flour, plus extra 1 tbsp
- ½ tsp salt
- 4 eggs, lightly beaten
- 300ml milk
- 4 tbsp sunflower or light olive oil
- 8 (about 500g) sausages
- 3 red onions, each cut into 8 wedges
- 2 tbsp fresh thyme leaves
- 100ml red wine
- 450ml chicken stock, hot
Method
- 1. Preheat the oven to 220°C/fan200°C/gas 7. Sift the flour and salt into a bowl. Make a well in the centre, add the eggs and milk, and whisk to a smooth batter.
- 2. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large frying pan over a medium heat and add the sausages. Brown for 5 minutes, turning regularly, then set aside. Add the onions to the pan and cook for a further 8 minutes, adding the thyme halfway through. Set aside.
- 3. Pour the remaining oil into a medium ovenproof dish and heat in the oven for 5 minutes. Arrange the sausages and onions in the dish, then pour over the batter. Bake for 20-25 minutes, until puffed up and golden.
- 4. Meanwhile, put the frying pan back over a medium-high heat, sprinkle in the extra flour and stir for 30 seconds. Gradually whisk in the red wine, then the chicken stock. Bubble for about 5 minutes to reduce the gravy by half. Keep warm over a very low heat.
- 5. Serve the toad-in-the-hole with the hot gravy, a dollop of wholegrain mustard and some steamed greens, if you like.
Nutritional info
Per serving: 880kcals, 51.4g fat (16.2g saturated), 34.6g protein, 72.1g carbs, 9.6g sugar, 4g salt
Chef's tip
Vegetarians, use vegetarian stock and veggie sausages – Quorn and Cauldron have a wide range to choose from in major supermarkets.