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TOAD-IN-THE-HOLE

TOAD-IN-THE-HOLE

The Kitchen Scholar
Meats

SOURCE: ADRIAN BAILEY. THE COOKING OF THE BRITISH ISLES.

In spite of its tongue-in-cheek name, duplicity and relief from the absence of slimy amphibians wading and lurking within a pond of Yorkshire pudding batter can spoil and kill any potential curiosity. According to the archives of the Royal Society, Toad-In-A-Hole originally assumed the alias of “Baked Beef in Pudding” and would pop up on random occasions inside Mitre Tavern, where the elite philosophers of late 18th century London originally gathered for social dinners in search of the exotic and the sublime. Entry into the mainstream lexicon of the Oxford English Dictionary would take another three decades in 1797 at the expense of the dish losing favor and gaining notorious vulgarity among the illustrious high society. In lieu of its rejection by Londoner snobs came the simultaneous acceptance of the working class grappling with the hectic schedules brought by the first wave of the Industrial Revolution. For the sake of frugality and time management, less perishable pork sausages replaced expensive beef cuts, thus earning Toad-In-A-Hole the modern look, respect and transcendent status as a British comfort food.

In spite of its tongue-in-cheek name, duplicity and relief from the absence of slimy amphibians wading and lurking within a pond of Yorkshire pudding batter can spoil and kill any potential curiosity. According to the archives of the Royal Society, Toad-In-The-Hole originally assumed the alias of “Baked Beef in Pudding” and would pop up on random occasions inside Mitre Tavern, where the elite philosophers of late 18th century London originally gathered for social dinners in search of the exotic and the sublime. Entry into the mainstream lexicon of the Oxford English Dictionary would take another three decades in 1797 at the expense of the dish losing favor and gaining notorious vulgarity among the illustrious high society. In lieu of its rejection by Londoner snobs came the simultaneous acceptance of the working class grappling with the hectic schedules brought by the first wave of the Industrial Revolution. For the sake of frugality and time management, less perishable pork sausages replaced expensive beef cuts, thus earning Toad-In-The-Hole the modern look, respect and transcendent status as a British comfort food.

Ingredients

2 large eggs

1/2 teaspoon/3 grams salt

Freshly ground black pepper to taste

1 cup/120 grams all-purpose flour

1 cup/250 mL milk

OPTIONAL: 1/2 teaspoon/0.5 gram fresh thyme, preferably picked fresh on the same day for best results

OPTIONAL: 1 teaspoon/0.7 gram finely chopped sage, preferably picked fresh on the same day for best results

1 pound/450 grams small fresh pork sausages, preferably Lincolnshire, Newmarket, or any English variety

OPTIONAL: Fresh sage leaves for garnish, preferably picked fresh on the same day

Specific Equipment

Large mixing bowl

Wire whisk

Fork

Skillet or sauté pan with a diameter of 10 to 12 inches/25 to 30 cm, equipped with a lid

Tongs OR spatula

Baking dish about 2 inches/5 cm deep

Serves 4

Instructions

1. Beat the eggs, salt, and black pepper in a mixing bowl with a wire whisk until frothy and well-blended. Stir in the flour gradually while beating constantly until the batter has turned into a thick consistency.

2. Pour in the milk in a thin stream, and continue beating until the mixture is smooth and creamy. Stir in the sage and thyme, if desired. Set the batter aside in a refrigerator for at least 1 hour.

3. Preheat oven to 400°F/200°C.

4. Prick the sausages once or twice with a fork and place them on a skillet or sauté pan. Sprinkle the sausages with 2 tablespoons/30 mL water and cover the pan tightly with a lid.

5. Cook the sausages over low heat for 3 minutes or until the fat has rendered out. Remove the lid and raise the heat to moderate. Continue cooking the sausages, turning them over frequently with a pair of tongs or a spatula, for 5 to 8 minutes or until the water has completely evaporated and the sausages have started to turn brown in their own fat.

6. Arrange the sausages in a single layer in a baking dish, keeping them 1 inch/2.5 cm apart as much as possible. Moisten the sausages with 2 tablespoons/30 mL of the drippings. Pour the batter over sausages. Garnish the top with fresh sage leaves, if desired.

7. Bake the sausages and the batter in the middle of the oven for 30 minutes or until the pudding has risen over the top of the pan and the surface has turned crispy and brown. Serve immediately.

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