Steak and Kidney Pudding

Shopping list

• 2 tablespoons plain flour — for the filling

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• 0.5 teaspoon English mustard powder — for the filling

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• 500 grams stewing steak — cut into 2cm / ¾ inch pieces

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• 250 grams lambs' kidneys — cut into chunks

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• 25 grams butter

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• 2 tablespoons olive oil

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• 1 medium onion — chopped

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• 150 grams flat mushrooms — peeled and roughly chunked

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• 150 millilitres beef stock

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• 150 millilitres stout — such as Guinness

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• 1 tablespoon oyster sauce — scant

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• 350 grams self-raising flour — for the suet crust

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• 0.5 teaspoon salt — for the suet crust

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• 175 grams suet

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• 0.5 teaspoon English mustard powder — for the suet crust

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• 14 tablespoons coarsely grated vegetable shortening — freeze overnight to make it easier to grate

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Step by step

1. 1

   Preheat the oven to 140ºC/120ºC Fan/gas mark 1/275ºF.

2. 2

   Season the flour with salt, pepper and mustard powder and put it into a plastic bag with the steak and kidney.

3. 3

   Seal and toss to coat.

4. 4

   Warm the butter and oil in a casserole and brown the meat in batches, then remove to a dish.

5. 5

   Fry the onion in the same pan, add the mushrooms and fry briefly.

6. 6

   Return the meat to the casserole, add stock, stout, and oyster sauce. Bring to boiling and scrape any floury bits off the bottom.

7. 7

   Cover and cook in the oven for 1½ hours. Check seasoning and cool.

8. 8

   About 2½-3 hours before serving, fill a large saucepan with water and bring to a boil.

9. 9

   Make the pastry by mixing flour, salt, suet and mustard powder in a bowl; add cold water to make a firm dough.

10. 10

    Roll out on a floured surface into a large circle, cut away a quarter segment for the lid.

11. 11

    Fit the three-quarter circle into the buttered pudding basin with an overhang.

12. 12

    Spoon the cold filling in without going higher than 2cm below the rim.

13. 13

    Roll out the quarter segment to fit the top and seal with overhanging edges.

14. 14

    Clip on the basin's buttered lid, immerse in water or steam over water for 2 hours, checking water levels occasionally.

15. 15

    Turn the pudding out onto a plate with a lip or shallow bowl.