Tuesday Toad.

It is the day for comfort food - throughout my working life, and even at school and university I've always had a problem with Tuesdays. I think it is because its a long way to the next weekend and it doesn't feel like a start (and I love stating something new - even a week). For me, one of the greatest of British comfort foods is Toad in the Hole. Opinion is divided as to what should be in the perfect toad and there is considerable evidence that this dish was origionaly made with lamb cutlets and not sausages but I love a good sausage and mine is always of the porky variety.


Now listen people and listen good - This is a classic, and with all classics, less is more! Don't mess with near perfection.

Toad in the Hole. (Serves 2)

6 good (and I do mean good - I use Newitts Gloucestershires) Butcher's Sausages. Plain Flour. Milk. 1 egg. Salt and pepper

Sieve about 6oz of flour into a bowl and add enough milk to make it the consistancy of single cream add the egg and beat in - DO NOT OVER WHISK - its not a merangue!

Gently fry the sausages, just to seal them then pop them in a high sided roasting tin with a little nugget of lard, dripping, or oil with a high burn point. Pop them in a hot oven and let them sizzle for about 5 minutes. The fat in the tin needs to be really hot, almost smoking. Pull out the tin and pour in the batter so that the edges sizzle and bubble a little. Then its back in the oven and enjoy the magic of a rising Yorkshire pudding. Serve when it is crispy on top and has a bit of fluff underneath. Make sure there is somthing green and squeeky to go with it (We had Spring Greens from the veg box) and lashings of onion gravy.