I usually make Toad-in-the-Hole with sausages, or sometimes meatballs – but having a large bag of Sainsbury’s red onions in the fridge, I decided to copy Jamie’s baked-onion-in the hole. It was good and filling. Here’s mine, beside the one in the book
The recipe is basically a roast onion, cooked in batter, served with and onion gravy and veg on the side. Jamie reckons this dish costs around 70p a portion. His recipe serves 4 – and you use 5 onions – the 5th is chopped to make the gravy. I cheated a little, using 2 small onions each [less than 10p each] per person – and using the trimmings from the roots and tops to make the gravy. And I used some of my Approved Food Batter Mix [less than 5p a portion] rather than making it from scratch. The herbs came from the garden – and the mixed veg from the freezer [Sainsburys Basics – around 8p a serving] I reckon this whole meal cost less than £1 for the pair of us [including the Basics yogurt for pudding]
The other significant change was that Jamie roasts his onions for an hour before pouring the batter round, upping the oven temperature, and cooking for another 20 minutes. I was running a bit late. I had been teaching a friend to use her new sewing machine**. So I cooked the 4 onions in the microwave for 10 minutes, whilst the oven heated, and I whipped up the batter. Then I poured the batter round the onions and whilst that was all cooking, I made the gravy in a saucepan, and cooked the veg in the microwave. Meal on the table in about 35 minutes.
** In case you are wondering, in one two-hour session, my friend learned to thread up the machine, wind bobbins, and use some basic techniques.
She made a tissue holder and peg bag . Not bad for just one lesson.
Wartime recipe: place leeks cut into 1" chunks cut side down in oil in your baking pan. Put in very hot oven until the oil is hot, pour in very thick Yorkshire batter that you have stirred as much grated cheese as you can afford and then cook. Bon appetite!
ReplyDeleteThanks for this tip!
DeleteI have never had roast onion. It looks a bit full on taste wise- is it? I have discovered frozen chopped onions and I love them. Just tip into pan and fry gently for the base to lots of meals. Probably not that cost efficient but sooo easy.
ReplyDeleteThese were red onions, and not too overpowering in flavour when m-waved. Where do you buy your frozen onions?.
DeleteThat looks very nice indeed, I may have to try it myself.
ReplyDeleteYou are a kind soul to help your friend like that. This onion idea is a great one! Perfect for a veggie husband!
ReplyDeleteLet us know what he thinks!
Deletethat sounds and looks yummy. You could also add a couple of sausages to it as well. I normally cook the sausages in the baking pan in the oven while it is heating up.
ReplyDelete