(Serves four)

120 g plain flour
Salt and ground black pepper
2 eggs
1 tsp Dijon mustard
150 ml each milk and water, mixed together
Lard for greasing
1 tbsp olive oil
2 medium onions, thinly sliced
450 g pack small sausages
15 g butter
Flour
250 ml beef stock

Sift the flour into a bowl and season well with salt and pepper. Make a well in the centre and add the eggs and mustard. Start to mix, drawing in the eggs and gradually adding the milk and water until you have a smooth batter. Pour the mixture into a jug and set aside.

Preheat the oven to 230°C and generously grease a non-stick 12-hole muffin tin with lard. Heat the oil in a pan, add three-quarters of the onions and cook until they are soft and beginning to colour.

Cut the sausages into three or four pieces each, divide them between the tins, then add the fried onions. Put the tin in the oven and cook for 10 minutes.

Stir the batter, then pour it over the sausages and onions, return the tin to the oven and cook for about 15 to 20 minutes, or until well-risen, brown and crunchy.

While the toads are cooking, melt the butter in a pan and fry the remaining onion until soft and starting to brown. Shake in just enough flour to absorb the fat and cook for a couple of minutes, then blend in the beef stock.

Bring to the boil, stirring until it thickens, then lower the heat, simmer for two minutes more and season as necessary. Serve the toads with the gravy and a green vegetable.