Toad in the Hole Recipe

A British Classic Perfect for Winter

There’s nothing quite like a classic toad in the hole to help warm us up as the days begin to get colder. We’re big fans of traditional British recipes here at Eversfield Organic, and a warming sausage toad is just that. The combination of fluffy, golden Yorkshire puddings and meaty, organic sausages makes for a winning family dinner, perfectly simple yet completely satisfying and above all, tasty. And don’t forget the rich beer and onion gravy, read on to find our mouth-watering recipe…

A Traditional Dish

Despite becoming a dinner time staple in many households across the country, the unique and slightly misleading name of toad in the hole got us thinking about the dish’s origins. As we know, toad in the hole (sometimes also known as sausage toad) is a traditional British meal, comprising of sausages wrapped in Yorkshire pudding batter and usually served with onion gravy and vegetables.

These type of batter puddings first rose in popularity in the early 18^th century, used as a way to stretch out meat in poorer households. This meant that usually the meat found in batter puddings was some of the cheapest cuts, often leftover from the previous evening’s meal.

In terms of the name, there’s no record of the recipe ever being made with real toads, and the origin of the name has never really been found. Some like to think the name stems from toads who wait for prey in their burrow with their heads popped out, just like the sausages in the batter. Others say it could come from a scientific craze of the late 18^th century in which live frogs and toads were found encased in stone. We like to think it’s the former…

Toad in the Hole Recipe

Alongside its yummy taste, comforting nature and solidified classic status, the beauty of a toad in the hole recipe is its simplicity. A family favourite, this easy sausage toad recipe is simple enough to get the kids involved, providing a satisfying meal for four. Don’t forget to serve with the Eversfield Organic approved beer & onion gravy recipe below, and with a choice of organic vegetables available for nationwide delivery on our website.

You’ll need:

• Eversfield Organic Pork Chipolatas
• Ossa Traditional Beef Fat, 50g
• Doves Farm Fine Plain White Flour, 150g
• Orchard Farm Eggs, 2
• Ivy House Jersey Whole Milk, 150ml

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 220C / 200C Fan / Gas Mark 7.
2. Lay the sausages in a medium-large sized roasting tin with the Ossa beef fat. Cook the organic sausages for 15 minutes.
3. Whilst the chipolatas cook, prepare the batter. Add the organic flour to a large mixing bowl with a pinch of salt, then crack the eggs into the middle of the flour.

4. For the best results, begin to whisk the mixture with an electric whisk. Whilst whisking, slowly add the milk. Once fully mixed, leave to the side until needed.
5. After 15 minutes, remove the sausages from the oven, being careful of the hot fat.
6. Pour the batter mix evenly over the sausages and cook for a further 25-30 minutes until the batter has risen and is a lovely golden colour.
7. The (arguably) most important part… serve with our Dunkel Beer & Onion Gravy.

Dunkel Beer & Onion Gravy Recipe

Although gravy seems to have an affinity with the North, even down here in Devon we know that no toad in the hole recipe is complete with a mouth-watering beer & onion gravy. Made even better by using our organic ingredients, including Barnaby Brewhouse’s Dunkel Beer, Ossa Traditional Beef Fat and organic Onions.

You’ll need:

• Ossa Double Concentrate Beef Bone Broth, 275ml
• Barnaby Brewhouse Dunkel Beer, 330ml
• Ossa Traditional Beef Fat / Ghee, 10g
• Onions, 2 finely sliced
• Garlic, 1 clove
• Fresh Thyme, 4 sprigs or Dried Thyme, ½ tsp
• Ground White Pepper, ¼ tsp
• Doves Farm Cornflour, 1½ tsp
• Warm water, 50ml
• Salt, to taste

Method:

1. Add the organic beef fat or ghee to a saucepan and bring to a medium heat.
2. Sauté the finely sliced onions, garlic and thyme sprigs for 2-3 minutes until golden and beginning to caramelise. You should notice them slightly sticking to the base of the pan at this point.
3. Add the ground white pepper to the pan and stir with a wooden spoon for another minute, then turn the heat to high and deglaze the pan with the Dunkel Beer.
4. Let the organic beer reduce by roughly a 1/3 of its volume. This should take around 3 minutes on high heat.
5. Add the Ossa Double Concentrate Beef Bone Broth and bring back to a simmer, then drop the heat to low.
6. Separately, stir the organic cornflour into 50ml of warm water until dissolved.
7. Slowly incorporate the cornflour roux into the gravy, making sure to stir continuously until fully mixed.
8. Continue to stir the gravy on a low heat until it thickens. Add more cornflour to the mixture until you reach your desired thickness.
9. Season with salt to taste.

Make the winter months a little more bearable by adding everything you need for the best toad in the hole recipe in your next online organic food delivery.