Toad in the Hole

[lesley]

This is ideal for a quick, tasty mid-week meal, you don't have to add the tomatoes & onions, I just wanted to use them up. You can use whatever left over meat you have as well.
http://i296.photobucket.com/albums/mm162/bazmj_1/toad-in-the-hole4.jpg

Serves 4
Prep Time 10 mins
Cooking Time 30 mins
Ingredients

3 Large free range eggs
Semi skimmed/half fat milk
Plain/all purpose flour
6 Cumberland/pork sausages
1 Large onion, sliced
1 Large tomato, sliced
2 Tbsp Olive oil

Method

Heat the oil in a large wok or frying pan
Add the sliced onion and fry until soft and slightly golden
Meanwhile heat the grill and brown the sausages
Arrange the onion and sausages in an preheated 8 inch/203mm/20.3cm casserole dish

Method for the batter

Break the eggs into a cup and take note of the level
Transfer the eggs into a large mixing bowl
Pour the milk up to the same cup level
Transfer the milk to the mixing bowl with the eggs
Do the same with the flour
Whisk the ingredients together until air bubbles form on the top
Pour over the sausages and add the sliced tomato on top
Bake in a preheated oven 220°C/425°F/Gas mark 7 for approx 30 minutes, until pudding has risen above the dish and is golden brown

Cooks tips

If you want to use sausages wrapped in bacon, wrap a rasher of bacon around each sausage, place in the casserole dish and bake in a hot oven 220°C/425°F/Gas mark 7 for 20 minutes, then add the batter
For mushrooms, just slice thickly and fry off with the onion

Equipment

Large mixing bowl
Large frying pan or wok
8 inch/203mm/20.3cm casserole dish

Shopping List

3 Large free range eggs
Semi skimmed/half fat milk
Plain/all purpose flour
6 Cumberland/pork sausages
1 Large onion
1 Large tomato
2 Tbsp Olive oil
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[Big Daddy's House]

Why is it called Toad in the Hole?

[JackieL]

I love toad in the hole! Especially served with mashed potatoes and onion gravy, mmmmmmmmmmmm, the food of gods!

:D

[mars777]

I think I recall reading that the name came from the appearance of the sausages poking out of the batter or somesuch. I've never had this dish but it looks delicious.

Mike

[Big Daddy's House]

Looks like pizza.

[mars777]

Looks mighty larapin! :)

Mike

[natt12321]

Looks like pizza.

It's like a large yorkshire pudding with sausages in.

Although from this picture i can see where you get the idea that it looks like pizza, your average toad in the hole looks like this:
http://images.foodepedia.co.uk/recipes/2010/sabrina/Toad-in-the-hole-003.jpg

or this:

http://cdn.solidrecipe.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/04/Toad-in-the-hole-with-onion-gravy-photos-3.jpg

[mars777]

Wow, they all look great!

Mike

[Big Daddy's House]

They DO!

[mars777]

Forgive my ignorance, but what are "free range" eggs, as called for in an earlier recipe posting?

Mike

[natt12321]

Free-range eggs are eggs produced using birds that are permitted to roam freely within a farmyard, a shed or a chicken coop. This is different from factory-farmed birds that are typically enclosed in battery cages. The term "free-range" may be used differently depending on the country and its laws.

As copied from Wiki.

The gist of it is you can really use any large eggs, free range is obviously the preference of the OP.

[Big Daddy's House]

Free range eggs and meat means that the bird, in this case, a chicken, or other animal, was fed and raised on all natural organic food with no fillers, cereal, byproducts or other stuff that the farmers would consider as being garbage.

This supposedly produces a cleaner leaner & healthier bird with no aditives, fatty materials or fillers fed to it.

[natt12321]

Actually BDH that would be the guidelines for Organic eggs/meat.

Free range can be fed whatever battery chickens get fed as long at they have the space to roam freely.

[mars777]

Ah, thank you. I have to admit this is the first time I'd ever heard, or rather, read the term. I'm all for any food grown, or produced, without added hormones or anti-biotics or whatever really doesn't belong. I'm sure it makes a big difference somewhere down the road, health-wise. Again, thanks for the speedy replies!:)

Mike

[SilverSage]

An oversimplification is to say the chickens aren't kept confined to chicken coops. They are allowed to roam around the barnyard like old-time farms.

Many people feel it's better for the chickens. Some believe the eggs taste better.

If you got to an organic market, or a place like Whole Foods, you can probably find them. They are expensive, but you might want to try them once and make your own judgement (both ethically and taste-wise).

________________________________

OMG, I decided to blog! (http://silversagethyme.blogspot.com/)

[mars777]

Thank you, SilvrSage. It's certainly something to consider. It does seem reasonable that the barnyard roaming would be a more natural situation. I think we do have an organic market not too far distant. Will have to check this out. Thanks again!

Mike

[natt12321]

My turn to be the ignorant one.

Is it not normal to be able to get free range and/or organic eggs in US supermarkets?

[mars777]

I'm wonderin' that m'self.

Mike

[SilverSage]

My turn to be the ignorant one.

Is it not normal to be able to get free range and/or organic eggs in US supermarkets?

Depends on the market and the location. Most major supermarkets carry eggs from the big mass producers. Organic and/or free-range eggs are not the norm here. However, in the more upscale neighborhoods you will find both products represented on the shelves. In the middle class neighborhoods, you may or may not see them, and in the poorer neighborhoods you will definitely not find them. Cost has a lot to do with that, I think.

There is a chain of stores here (usually only in bigger cities and upper scale areas) called Whole Foods. They specialize in organic, free range, natural, etc, products. But they tend to be pricey. People often refer to them as Whole Paycheck Foods.

__________________________________

OMG, I decided to blog! (http://silversagethyme.blogspot.com/)