A Happy Day

I've made a Steak and Kidney Pudding for dinner tonight, it'll be cut into wedges and served with peas, carrots and baby potatoes.
For pudding we'll be tucking into an Apple and Blackcurrant Crumble and Custard.
A truly British affair.

As I type the steak and kidney pudding is simmering and will continue doing so until 18:00hrs. I love making puddings, all puddings, sweet or savoury, but Steak and Kidney wears the crown. And it's so easy to do.
No pre-cooking, nothing elaborate to deal with and once it's prepared you can toddle off and leave it.

Here's my recipe:

12 oz Self raising Flour
6oz Beef Suet
Cold Water to mix.

A pack of ready prepared Steak and Kidney from the supermarket,or if you can't get hold of that, use about 8 oz of chopped braising steak and 4 oz chopped lamb's kidney. I have used ox kidney and it's very good but it does have a stronger flavour than lamb's kidney.

1 chopped Onion

Worcestershire sauce
Salt and pepper

Make the pastry by mixing the flour and suet together then adding enough cold water to make a slightly sticky dough which leaves the bowl clean. Don't make it too wet though its much better to add a few drops more water than to add more flour.
Form the dough into a ball, cut off a third for the lid then roll out the remainder and line a 2 pint greased pudding basin with it. Roll out the rest of the pastry to a large circle and leave to one side.

Stir the meats into a couple of tablespoonfuls of seasoned flour and mix well.
Add some of the meat to the pastry lined pudding basin along with some of the chopped onion and carry on till all is gone. Season well. Add a few shakes of Worcestershire sauce and if you prefer a meatier darker gravy pop in a crumbled beef oxo or tablespoonful of beef gravy granules. Then pour over enough water to come half way up the meat mixture.

Dampen the edge of the pastry and place lid on top. Press down well to seal. Trim around the basin. Cover with foil, if necessary, twice. You don't want water seeping into the pudding. If you want to you could use a cloth and tie it the old fashioned way with string, I've done that but using foil is much cleaner and easier.

Put the basin of goodness into a large pan, pour in boiling water to come two thirds up the dish, put lid on and make yourself a cup of tea. Steam for 5 hours.
All done.


Yesterday I bought a secondhand copy of Josceline Dimbleby's cook book and read it last night in bed. After making copious notes about the goodies I intend to make I put the book on the bedside table and went to sleep.