TOAD-IN-THE-HOLE
In My Kitchen
by Annie Bell
Batter is by nature bland and, however traditionalists might have It, I like to jazz mine up with mustard. I also favor really spicy sausages or ones with the addition of leeks or bacon to give them added interest. You could of course turn to ketchup, but gravy is nicer. The real subtlety lies in heating up the dish with plenty of fat, ideally dripping, before the batter goes in. This ensures it almost fries at the edges and around the sides and comes out beautifully crisp and rich, with that particular flavor that gives it the hallmark of being British.
Serves 4
BATTER
• 3/4 cup all-purpose flour, sifted
• 1/2 tsp sea salt
• 2 medium eggs
• 2/3 cup milk
• 1 tsp Dijon mustard
• 1 tsp whole-grain mustard
SAUSAGES
• dripping, lard, or vegetable oil
• 1 lb sausages
Directions
Whiz all the ingredients for the batter plus 2/3 cup water in a blender until smooth, then leave to rest for 30 minutes.
Halfway through resting the batter, heat the oven to 425°F. Heat a little dripping, lard, or vegetable oil in a skillet and slowly color the sausages on all sides. Try to do this as evenly as possible, turning them frequently; they should be a nice golden color by the end, but not too dark because they will color further in the oven. Place a couple of tablespoons of whatever fat you are using in a 14in oval gratin dish or one equivalent in size, and heat this in the oven for 10 minutes.
Pour the batter into the hot dish and lay the sausages on top. Place the toad-in-the-hole in the oven and cook for 30 minutes until the batter is risen and golden.
Serve immediately.
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