Lincolnshire Toad in the Wolds with Onion Gravy

Here’s what you’ll need

For your Toad in the Wolds

• 8 Lakings Lincolnshire sausages
• ¼ teaspoon of salt
• 175g plain flour
• 4 large eggs
• 300ml whole milk
• 1½ tablespoons of rapeseed oil
• 2 tablespoons of butter – I tend to use salted, but whatever you prefer
• 3 sprigs of rosemary

For the Onion Gravy

• 4 large onions, peeled and thinly sliced
• 300ml beef stock
• 2 tablespoons of heavy cream
• 1 teaspoon of Worcestershire sauce

Equipment

A cast-iron, heat proof dish (or skillet!) that you can put on the hob and in the oven – if you don’t have one, transferring the Lincolnshire chipolatas from a frying pan to a roasting tin will also work.

Step-by-step method

1. Preheated your oven to 220°.
2. Combine the salt, flour and half a teaspoon of pepper in a large bowl.
3. In a separate, medium sized bowl, whisk together the eggs and milk until well combined.
4. Gradually incorporate about half of the egg and milk mixture into the flour mix until smooth (and, importantly, free of lumps).
5. Slowly and thoroughly mix in the rest of the milk mixture. Put to one side.
6. Over a medium-high flame, heat the rapeseed oil. Add Lakings Lincolnshire sausages and cook – turning just once until browned on both sides.
7. When browned, add the rosemary sprigs to the pan and stir to ensure the drippings are fragranced.
8. Transfer the sausages and rosemary to a plate and take the skillet off the heat – do not wipe the pan.
9. Quickly, pour the batter into the skillet.
10. Arrange the cooked sausages down the centre line of the batter, 1 to 2 inches apart. Arrange your fragrant rosemary sprigs around the sausages.
11. Bake in the preheated oven until your batter has risen and is gold and crispy around the edges.
12. For your onion gravy, melt your butter over a medium heat until foaming. Add your onions and stir until they turn translucent.
13. Sprinkle two tablespoons of flour into the pan and stir constantly for about a minute and a half.
14. Slowly add your beef stock, making sure to scrape off any flour stuck to the bottom of the pan.
15. Over a medium heat, simmer the gravy for about 3 minutes or until sufficiently thickened.
16. Remove from the heat, and stir in your cream, Worcestershire sauce and half a teaspoon of pepper. Add salt to taste.
17. Keep the gravy over a low heat, stirring occasionally until serving. Remove your Lincolnshire Toad in the Wolds from the oven, and garnish with pepper.
18. Serve immediately, with a healthy pool of gravy.