Steak
& Kidney Pudding is a traditional English savoury dish. I haven't had anything like it since I was a
kid – so last century.
The principle of the dish is simple – diced beef and
lamb's (or pig's) kidneys with onion and stock encased in a suet pastry.
Here's a recipe for it – can't vouch for it though
Ingredients
- 1 oz./25 g beef drippings (or lard or vegetable oil)
- 1 1/2 lbs./675 g beef topside (cut into 2.5cm/1-inch cubes)
- 12 oz./350 g beef kidney (cut into 2.5cm/1-inch cubes)
- 1 onion (peeled and roughly chopped)
- 2 carrots (washed, peeled and thickly sliced)
- 1 oz./25 g all-purpose flour
- 10 fl oz./300 ml beef stock
- 5 fl oz./150 ml red wine
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 small handful flat leaf parsley (finely chopped)
- 1 tbsp. tomato puree
- Salt and pepper to taste
- For the pastry:
- 10 oz./280 g self-raising flour
- 1/2 tsp. baking powder
- Pinch of salt
- 5 oz./140 g beef suet (finely chopped)
- 2 to 3 tbsp. cold water
- 3 tbsp. butter for greasing
- 2 sheets of greaseproof paper
Steps to Make It
1. Preheat
the oven to 350 F/180 C. Heat a large casserole dish on the stove, add the
drippings/lard or oil and heat until slightly smoking. Add the beef cubes and
the kidney, stir well until all the meat is browned. Add the onion, carrots, and
stir again.
2.
Sprinkle the flour over the meat and vegetables and stir thoroughly.
3. Add the
stock, red wine, bay leaf, parsley, and
tomato puree. Bring to a gentle boil, then reduce the heat and cover with a
lid. Place in the hot oven and cook for 1 hour.
4. Remove
the casserole from the oven, season with salt and pepper to taste, and leave it
to cool.
5. Make the
pastry. Place the flour, baking powder, and
salt into a baking bowl. Add the suet and rub into the flour. Add enough cold
water to form a stiff, slightly sticky dough. Leave it to rest for 30 minutes.
6. Grease a
2-pint pudding basin with the butter. Divide the pastry into 2/3 and 1/3 parts
and roll the larger piece of dough into a circle large enough to line the basin
with an extra 1/2" border. Dust your hands with a little flour then carefully
line the basin with the dough.
7. Add the
meat mixture and roll the remaining dough into a circle large enough to make a
lid. Wet the overhanging lip of the basin with cold water, lay the lid on top
and press firmly around the edge to seal.
8. Cover
the basin with two circles of greaseproof paper secured with kitchen string.
9. Steam
over rapidly boiling water for 2
hours. Check frequently to make sure water has not boiled dry. Top up with
boiling water as needed.
10. Remove
the pudding from the steamer, remove the greaseproof paper, and serve.
This recipe has all the makings for a good pot of stew! Think I’d stick with that since I’m not familiar with making or tasting this dish....
ReplyDeleteInteresting...never had it before.
ReplyDelete