Eating, drinking and generally having a good time in France
This is a recipe for Max, George’s little brother who lives next and who does an amazing velociraptor impression. Max doesn’t like sauces- so he may not appreciate the gravy….but that is optional (and I think George might like the gravy).
My inspiration for this was a marriage of a classic Brit comfort food, Toad in the Hole, with a nostalgic Yank childhood favourite, Corn Dogs….which along with cotton candy and funnel cakes were a fairground staple when I was growing up. But – unlike funnel cakes and cotton candy… corn dogs were actually as good as you remembered.
Toad
Gravy
Preheat the oven to 200C. Brown the sausages and set aside. Make the cornbread batter – in a bowl stir together the dry ingredients, in a separate bowl mix the egg and butter milk together, then add the melted butter. Mix the dry in ingredients the wet ingredients. Put your baking dish (the dish I use is 10×8) in the oven with 2T groundnut oil for ~5 min to heat up oil. When the oil is hot, take out the dish, dump in the can of corn, then add the cornbread batter. Top with your sausages – then put it all in the oven for 25 minutes, or until cornbread looks lightly golden brown.
While the ‘toad’ is cooking make your gravy. Heat the groundnut oil in a nonstick skillet. Add the onion and pancetta and sauté until inion soft and pancetta is beginning to crisp up, ~5-7 minutes. Add the flour and cook for another 5 minutes. Add the Worcestershire, salt and tabasco, then slowly add the milk, stirring constantly. Once all the milk is in, stir occasionally for about 10-15 minutes until the gravy has thickened.
Et voila….serve your toad with the gravy (and maybe a bit of mustard)…and some sautéed greens and you have a pretty scrummy meal!