Musk's Of Newmarket Chipolata Sausage " Toad In The Hole " A LA TWIST

Now I'm always rather wary of doing recipes based on "classic dishes"

This recipe is I suppose based on the classic dish of Toad in the Hole, One that we all grew up with, Loved or Hated

But this recipe bares absolutely no resemblance to that of the traditional style recipe, albeit it does have meat baked in batter, Sausage, really good sausage to be fair, From the wonderful people at Musk's Of Newmarket, Whose tasty sausages, in all manner of flavours I've been using of late. And It just wouldn't be right if I didn't add some little surprises too!!! Pheasant, Prunes, Lamb Kidneys and Brandy.

There will be people, and I can here them all now saying " Why on earth is he doing this? Toad in the hole is what it is! Sausage in batter and baked "

This is very true, But does it have to be just that?

Let me explain, I've a step daughter, a very opinionated step daughter, if she says she doesn't like it! She doesn't like it!, No Ifs, No buts or and definitely No Maybes!!

My job as a doting step father, is to convince and cajole, that what I'm cooking and putting in front of her, isn't horrible or inedible, but is in fact extremely tasty!

So you have to come up with ways of making foods tasty, luckily she loves Yorkshire pudding so I have a start, enjoys sausage so another bonus, Pheasant was going to be a problem, Early on in her life we had to convince her that the Christmas turkey was, Just a big chicken!! And as for Prunes! Well, even I'm still a little suspicious.

So with a little playing around, here's the recipe I've came up with, you can try what ever combinations you like, pheasant, pigeon, partridge, chicken, pancetta, Parma ham etc. it's a fantastic way of glamming up the humble traditional dish, that is, Toad In The Hole

The recipe here is for a rather glamorous Toad in the Hole

It'll serve 4 people easily, will take about an hour to prepare/cook and is a fantastic dinner party/supper dish

SHOPPING LIST

4 Musk's Of Newmarket Chipolata Sausages

2 pheasant breast

2 lambs kidneys

4 prunes soaked in brandy ( an hour should be enough )

4 smoked streaky bacon rashers

FOR THE BATTER

150g plain flour

3 medium free range eggs

200ml milk

100ml water

Seasoning

FOR THE GRAVY

2 tins of game soup

1/2 bottle of red wine

METHOD

Firstly whisk together the milk, water, flour and eggs and give it a good pinch of salt and pepper, you should have a batter with the consistency of single cream

Now make your gravy, tip the game soup into a pan, add the red wine and simmer until reduced to a gorgeous intensely flavoursome gravy, this may take around 10 minutes until you have a perfect consistency, season to taste

Now for the meats, Cut the pheasant breast into two, Take the skin off each sausage, Place a sausage inside each pheasant breast, wrap each one carefully in the streaky bacon rasher to create a parcel

Cut the kidneys in half and cut out the white fatty bits

Pour a good splash of oil into a roasting tray and place into a hot oven 220c

Once hot carefully place in the sausage and the pheasant and brown on all sides

Now add the kidneys and the brandy soaked prunes, be extremely careful as the kidneys and prunes may spit and pop a little (these will add a fantastic flavour burst)

Pour over the batter very carefully and place the tray into the oven for 20-25 minutes

The batter should be puffed up and golden brown

Serve immediately with the game gravy

I don't think this needs anything else! It's ridiculously over the top, but fantastically delicious