Toad-in-the-Hole

This is a classic British dish consisting of a Yorkshire pudding batter with pre-cooked sausages in it.

2 tablespoons butter or margarine
1 pound small link pork sausages
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 egg
1 cup milk

Place the butter and sausages in a 12-inch roasting pan or cast-iron skillet and bake in a preheated 400 degree F oven for 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, sift the flour into a bowl and beat in the egg.
Add half the milk slowly, beating until the batter is smooth, then add the remaining half of the milk and beat until very smooth.
Pour the batter into the pan with the sausages and bake 20 minutes.

Reduce the oven temperature to 350 degrees F and bake an additional 10 to 15 minutes, until the batter rises up the sides of the pan and turns golden brown.

Serves 4 to 6.

Shortbread with Cumberland Rum Butter

1/2 cup unsalted butter (at room temperature)
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour, sifted
Superfine sugar (for dusting)
1 cup unsalted butter
2 1/4 cups dark brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon grated nutmeg
1/3 cup dark Jamaican rum

Preheat oven to 300 degrees F.

In a large bowl beat the butter with a wooden spoon until it is soft, then continue beating while adding sugar then the flour.
When it gets hard to handle, bring it together with the spoon and make into a ball with your hands.
Transfer to a working surface that has been lightly dusted with superfine sugar.
Quickly and lightly roll out about 1/8 inch thick.
You may need to dust the rolling pin with sugar, also. With a 3-inch diameter crinkled cookie cutter, cut out the cookies and place on a cookie sheet.
Bake on a high shelf in the oven for about 30 minutes, until they are a pale golden color — no darker.
Cool the cookies on a wire rack and dust them with some superfine sugar.
When cool, store in an airtight container.

Melt the butter in a small heavy-bottom saucepan over low heat. As butter is melting, put the sugar in a large mixing bowl and remove all lumps by pressing them out with your hands or a wooden spoon.
Add nutmeg.
Pour on the rum and mix well.
Pour on the melted butter and stir in well.
Put mixture into a glass bowl, cover the surface with wax paper and, when cool, place in the refrigerator until serving time.

Crumpets

These are British griddle cakes, most delicious when they are served piping hot.

1 package active dry yeast
1/4 cup warm water (105 to 115 degrees F)
1/2 cup lukewarm milk (scalded, then cooled)
1 tablespoon butter or margarine
1 teaspoon granulated sugar
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 egg
1 cup all-purpose flour

Dissolve yeast in warm water in medium-size bowl.
Stir in remaining ingredients; beat until smooth.
Cover; let rise in warm place until double, 40 to 60 minutes.

Grease griddle or heavy skillet and insides of 4 to 6 (3-inch) flan rings or crumpet rings.* Place rings on griddle over medium heat until hot.
Pour about 2 tablespoons batter into each ring. Cook until tops form bubbles and bottoms are golden brown, 1 to 2 minutes.
Remove rings; turn crumpets to brown other side, 1 to 2 minutes.
Repeat with remaining batter, greasing insides of rings each time.
Serve with butter and jam or marmalade.

Makes 12.

* 6 1/2-ounce tuna, minced clam or shrimp cans, tops and bottoms removed, can be substituted for the flan rings.