Steak and kidney pudding

Press, 23 July 1986, Page 15

Steak and kidney pudding

Alison Hoist’s

Food Facts X

When the nights are long and the days are cold it Is good to make some really warming winter meals. Steak and kidney pudding takes quite a long time to cook but it doesn’t take long to make. Think about presenting one of these to your family some time when you know you will be able to spend 20 minutes in the kitchen four or five hours before you want to eat your winter dinner! As long as the pot doesn’t boll dry, you won’t have to do anything to your main dish before you serve it. Every time I make a steamed meat pudding I am surprised to see the way the crust browns nicely as the pudding cooks. I can never work out the reason for this! I usually serve one or two vegetables with it — often pan-cooked cabbage, which is tender-crisp and bright green, and Julienne carrot strips. I cut them small so they cook quickly too, and I need spend only 10 minutes in the kitchen before the meal. Crust cups self raising flour 1 tablespoon of fresh mixed herbs OR 1 teaspoon of dried herbs y 2 teaspoon salt 50g butter about % cup milk or water Filling 600 g blade steak IOOg ox or lambs kidney IOOg mushrooms, optional 1 large onion 2 tablespoons flour 1 teaspoon instant beef stock 1 teaspoon fresh thyme OR y 2 teaspoon dried thyme 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce y t cup water First choose a bowi or othem-sultable container in which to cook the pudding, and find a pot

large enough to hold it Any metal bowl will do, but a deep pyrex or similar casserole dish is suitable too. Whatever you choose should hold at least eight cups. Spray or butter it well. Put enough water in the pot to come halfway up the side of the bowl when it is standing on a stand, saucer, or piece of crumpled foil which will keep it away from the bottom of the pot Mix the flour, chopped herbs and salt for the crust Cut or rub in the butter then add enough milk or water to make a fairly stiff dough. Roll out three-quarters of this and use it to line the bowl. It should come to the rim. Roll out the rest to cover the bowl later.

Cut the steak, kidney, mushrooms, and onion

into Icm cubes. Sprinkle the flour, stock, and thyme over them, then toss to coat thoroughly. Pack into the lined bowl and pour the Worcestershire sauce and water over the meat, fold the edges in over the filling, dampen the dough which will cover the pudding, and press it firmly in place. Cover the pudding with foil, smoothing it firmly round the top rim and down the sides of the bowl. Place carefully on the stand in the water in the pot, cover the pot tightly and boil gently for 3% to 5 hours. Serve in wedges, from the bowl, or unmould on to a large plate before cutting. Variations: Replace beef with the same weight of lean shoulder lamb, hogget dr mutton. Allow 3 hours for lamb, 4 hours for hogget, and 5 for mutton.