Traditional British recipes and History ..well some!

Toad in the Hole 🐸🕳️

A quirky name for a comforting British classic

🏰 A Little History

Toad in the Hole is a hearty dish that dates back to the 18th century. Despite the curious name, it has nothing to do with toads — thankfully! It’s simply sausages baked in a golden Yorkshire pudding batter. Originally, this was a way to stretch meat further, especially when times were tough. The name might have come from the visual resemblance of sausages peeking through the batter, like toads poking out of a hole.

🛒 Ingredients (Serves 4)

For the batter:

140g plain flour
4 large eggs
200ml whole milk
Pinch of salt

For the dish:

8 good-quality pork sausages (Cumberland or Lincolnshire are traditional)
2 tbsp vegetable oil or dripping
Optional: 1 tsp English mustard (mixed into the batter for extra kick)

🥄 Method

1. Prepare the batter

In a large bowl, sift the flour and add a pinch of salt.
Make a well in the centre, crack in the eggs and begin to whisk.
Gradually add the milk while whisking, until you have a smooth batter.
Cover and leave to rest for at least 30 minutes (or longer if you have time).

2. Cook the sausages

Preheat your oven to 220°C (200°C fan) / Gas Mark 7.
Pour the oil or dripping into a large roasting tin and place in the oven to heat.
Once the oil is smoking hot (about 10 minutes), carefully add the sausages and roast for 10–15 minutes, turning once, until nicely browned.

3. Add the batter

Remove the tin from the oven carefully — it’ll be very hot!
Quickly pour the batter over the sausages and return the tin to the oven.
Bake for 25–30 minutes without opening the oven door, until the batter is puffed up and golden.

🍽️ To Serve

Best served piping hot, with a generous helping of onion gravy, mashed potatoes, and buttered garden peas. Some like it with a dollop of English mustard or a drizzle of malt vinegar.

🥧 1. Steak and Kidney Pie

A proper British comfort classic, steeped in history and gravy.

📜 A Little History

Steak and kidney pie is a Victorian staple, though the combination of meat and offal in pies goes back much further, even to medieval times. It became a true working-class favourite during the Industrial Revolution, offering sustenance and warmth with every hearty bite. Today, it remains a pub favourite across the UK.

🛒 Ingredients (Serves 4)

500g diced beef steak (braising or stewing cut)
200g lamb’s kidney (or ox kidney), trimmed and chopped
1 onion, finely chopped
2 tbsp plain flour
500ml beef stock
2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1 bay leaf
Salt and pepper, to taste
1 tbsp vegetable oil or beef dripping
375g ready-rolled puff pastry
1 egg, beaten (for glazing)

🥄 Method

1. Prepare the filling

Heat the oil in a large saucepan. Add the beef and kidney, and brown all over.
Stir in the onion and cook for 5 minutes until soft.
Sprinkle over the flour and cook for another minute.
Gradually stir in the stock, followed by Worcestershire sauce, bay leaf, salt and pepper.
Simmer gently for 1½ to 2 hours, or until the meat is tender and the gravy has thickened. Allow to cool.

2. Assemble the pie

Preheat the oven to 200°C (180°C fan) / Gas Mark 6.
Spoon the cooled filling into a pie dish.
Cover with puff pastry, trim the edges, and crimp with a fork.
Cut a small hole in the centre to let steam escape.
Brush with beaten egg.

3. Bake

Bake for 30–35 minutes or until the pastry is golden and crisp.

🍽️ To Serve

With buttery mashed potatoes, mushy peas, or steamed greens.

🍰 2. Spotted Dick

A funny name for a delightfully old-fashioned dessert.

📜 A Little History

“Spotted Dick” is a suet pudding speckled with dried fruits (“spots”) and steamed to perfection. “Dick” is thought to be an old term for pudding, or perhaps a corruption of “dough.” It’s one of the most nostalgic puddings served in British school dinners and traditional tearooms.

🛒 Ingredients (Serves 4–6)

225g self-raising flour
100g shredded suet (beef or vegetarian)
100g currants or raisins
50g caster sugar
1 lemon, zested
Pinch of salt
150ml milk

🥄 Method

1. Prepare the pudding

In a large bowl, mix the flour, suet, sugar, salt, and lemon zest.
Stir in the dried fruit.
Gradually add the milk and mix until a soft dough forms.

2. Steam it

Shape into a thick sausage and wrap in baking parchment, then foil. Twist the ends securely.
Place in a steamer over a saucepan of simmering water.
Steam for 1½ to 2 hours, checking water levels occasionally.

🍽️ To Serve

Slice and serve hot with lashings of custard or golden syrup.

🥬 3. Bubble and Squeak

A thrifty breakfast dish full of character and charm.

📜 A Little History

Born from Sunday roast leftovers, Bubble and Squeak gets its name from the sounds it makes in the pan. Traditionally made with cabbage and potatoes, it’s a fried-up mash of vegetables, and it has remained a favourite for generations, especially on a cold Monday morning.

🛒 Ingredients (Serves 2–3)

300g cooked potatoes (mashed or crushed)
200g cooked cabbage or sprouts (shredded)
1 small onion (optional), finely chopped
Salt and pepper, to taste
2 tbsp butter or dripping

🥄 Method

1. Mix and shape

In a bowl, combine the potatoes, cabbage, onion (if using), and season well.
Shape into small patties or simply press into one large round.

2. Fry

Heat the butter or dripping in a frying pan.
Add the mixture and press down. Cook over medium heat for 8–10 minutes until browned on the bottom.
Flip carefully (or turn in sections) and brown the other side.