Toad in the hole with gravy & greens

• 8Pork sausages
• 3 tbspVegetable oil
• 150gPlain flour
• 1 tspDried thyme
• 3Eggs
• 180mlSemi-skimmed milk
• 2Brown onions
• 20gButter
• 1 cubeBeef stock cube, in 400ml water
• 1 tbspWorcestershire sauce
• 1 headBroccoli

Plus salt, pepper and water.

Method

1. 1

   Heat the oven to 220C (200C fan). Put the oil in a roasting tin about 30 x 20cm, add the sausages and roast for 15 minutes, turning once, until browned.

   20 min, mostly hands-off

2. 2

   Meanwhile, make the batter. Whisk 140g of the flour with the thyme and a pinch of salt, make a well in the middle, crack in the eggs and whisk in the milk a little at a time until smooth, like single cream. Leave it to rest.

3. 3

   Take out the tin; the oil should be sizzling hot. Give the batter a quick whisk, pour it around the sausages and get it straight back into the oven. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes without opening the door, until well risen, crisp and deep golden, and the sausages are cooked through.

   30 min, mostly hands-off

4. 4

   While the sausages brown, thinly slice the onions. Melt the butter in a saucepan and cook the onions over a low heat for 15 minutes, stirring now and then, until soft and golden.

   20 min, mostly hands-off

5. 5

   Stir the rest of the flour into the onions for a minute. Crumble the stock cube into 400ml boiling water and add it gradually, stirring, with the Worcestershire sauce. Simmer for 8 to 10 minutes, until the gravy coats the back of a spoon. Season.

   12 min, mostly hands-off

6. 6

   Cut the broccoli into florets and boil for 3 to 4 minutes, until just tender. Drain.

7. 7

   Cut the toad in the hole into four and serve with the broccoli and plenty of gravy.