Toad in the hole with onion gravy

I spent my early years in Yorkshire where the amazing Yorkshire pudding recipe was invented to fill the hole in your tum before eating meat.  Where the reference to 'toad' comes from, I have no idea.  I've adapted this version from Galton Blackiton's recipe and sneak in a glug of sherry .  I used chipolata sausages and it worked really well.

Ingredients

For the batter

225g/8oz plain flour

salt and black pepper

3 free-range eggs

300ml/10fl oz milk

2 tbsp olive oil

8 sausages or try using chipolatas to get a taste of sausage in each bite .

For the onion gravy

1 tbsp rapeseed oil

2 onions, finely sliced

½ tsp English mustard

500ml/18fl oz stock (from a stock cube, ideally beef although chicken or vegetable is fine)

2 tbsp dry sherry.

Method

Preheat the oven to 200C.  For the batter, sieve the flour into a bowl and season with salt and pepper. Make a well in the middle and break in the eggs. Whisk the eggs slowly into the flour. Once combined, pour in the milk while you whisk so that you have a smooth, lump-free batter the consistency of double cream (if the batter is too thick then add a little water). Cover the batter and rest in the fridge for one hour, or even overnight if it is easier. 

For the onion gravy, heat a heavy-based frying pan over a low heat. Add the oil, onions and a pinch of salt. Cook gently for 15-20 minutes, or until dark golden-brown in colour but not burnt, stir in the mustard and a pinch of pepper and then add the stock. Bring the mixture to the boil, reduce to a simmer add the sherry and simmer for 10-15 minutes, or until the volume of liquid has reduced by half. Taste and adjust the seasoning to taste.

Put a roasting tray (about 30x20x6cm) into the preheated oven. Once really hot, add the oil and the sausages. Brown the sausages in the hot oven, turning now and again until coloured on all sides (they don’t need to be cooked through).

Whisk the rested batter and pour it into the hot tin over the browned sausages. Return to the oven and cook for a further 30-35 minutes, or until the batter is risen and golden-brown all over. Reheat the onion gravy and serve the cooked toad in the hole in wedges with steamed and seasoned savoy cabbage or peas alongside.