Hairy Bikers Steak And Kidney Pudding Food

STEAK AND KIDNEY PUDDING

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 170ºC/350ºF/Gas 3.
• Rinse the kidneys and pat dry with kitchen paper. Cut the kidneys, in half, snip out the white cores and cut the kidneys into roughly 1.5cm/¾in pieces.
• Place the cubes of steak into a large, strong plastic bag and the kidney pieces into another bag. Divide the flour between the two bags, then season, to taste, with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Tie the ends of the bags and shake until the steak and kidneys are thoroughly coated in the seasoned flour.
• Heat two tablespoons of the oil in a large non-stick frying pan and fry the steak, in batches, over a medium heat, adding extra oil as needed, until the steak is well-browned all over. Remove the steak from the frying pan with a slotted spoon and transfer to a flameproof casserole.
• Return the frying pan to the heat and repeat the process with the kidneys, frying on both sides until well-browned. Remove the kidneys from the frying pan with a slotted spoon and transfer to the casserole.
• Return the frying pan to the heat, add the remaining oil, then add the onion. Cook the onion over a low heat, stirring often, for five minutes, or until softened. Stir the cooked onion into the casserole with the beef and kidneys.
• Deglaze the frying pan with the wine, bringing it to the boil while stirring to lift all the browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Pour the mixture immediately over the beef, kidneys and onion.
• Strip the thyme leaves from the stalks and add them to the casserole. Stir in the bay leaf, beef stock and tomato purée.
• Bring the beef mixture to the boil. Remove three ladlefuls of the sauce for gravy and set aside in a small pan to cool. When cooled, set it aside in the fridge for use as gravy.
• Cover the casserole and transfer to the oven to cook for 1½-2 hours, or until the beef is tender (stir the mixture halfway through cooking).
• Return the casserole to the hob and simmer the mixture for 2-3 minutes, or until the sauce is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. When the sauce is thick enough, remove from the heat and leave to cool.
• Meanwhile, for the suet pastry, put the flour, suet and salt into a large bowl and mix until well combined.
• Stir in enough water to make a soft dough - you'll probably need around 300ml/10½fl oz of water. Turn out the dough onto a floured surface and bring it together to form a ball. Knead the dough lightly, then remove a generous quarter of the dough to make a lid for the pudding and set aside. Roll out the remaining pastry into a rough 5cm/10in circle (the size of an average dinner plate). It should be about 1cm/¼in thick.
• Butter a 1.5 litre/2 pint 12¾fl oz pudding basin and line it with the pastry. The pastry should reach 1cm/¼in above the top of the dish. Press the pastry against the sides of the basin and trim neatly.
• Spoon the steak and kidney mixture into the pastry-lined pudding basin. Brush the rim of the pastry with water. Roll the remaining pastry into a circle just large enough to sit on top of the pudding dish and place it over the filling. Trim into place and press the edges together well to seal.
• Cover the dish with a large circle of baking parchment, with a pleat in the middle to allow for expansion. Cover the parchment with a circle of aluminium foil, again with a pleat. Secure both covers tightly with string. Create a carrying handle by tying the excess string across the top of the basin - this will help you lift the pudding out of the pan after it's cooked.
• Place the pudding onto an upturned saucer or small trivet in a large, deep saucepan and add enough just-boiled water to come halfway up the sides of the basin. Cover the pan with a tight-fitting lid and place on the hob over a medium heat. Steam the pudding in simmering water for 2½ hours, adding more water as necessary.
• When the pudding is cooked through, turn off the heat and carefully lift the basin from the water. Let the pudding stand for five minutes.
• Heat the reserved gravy on the hob, stirring, until the gravy is bubbling and heated through. Strain through a small sieve into a warmed jug.
• Cut the string, foil and paper off the pudding basin. Run a blunt-ended knife around the inside of the pudding basin to loosen the sides of the pudding and invert it onto a deep plate. Serve in generous wedges with hot gravy.

THE CLASSIC STEAK AND KIDNEY PIE

Steps:

• Heat a large frying pan with a little of the dripping or oil. Season the diced beef with salt and pepper. Fry in the pan until well coloured and completely sealed. Life out the meat and transfer to a large saucepan. Add a touch more oil, if necessary, to the frying pan. Season the kidneys and also fry quickly to seal and colour in the hot pan. Also transfer to the saucepan.
• Melt a knob of butter in the pan and cook the onions and carrots in the melted butter for 2 - 3 minutes. They will lift any flavours left from the meats. Put into the saucepan with the meat. Fry the mushroom slices in a little more butter, just turning in the pan for a minute or two; keep to one side.
• Place the saucepan on medium heat, stirring in the flour, and allow it to cook for 2 to 3 minutes. Add the tomato puree, bay leaf and mushrooms. Pour in the stock and bring to a simmer, skimming off any impurities. The meat should just be covered with the stock; if not, top with a little more stock or water. Simmer gently, partially covered, for 1 1/2 to 2 hours. During the cooking time it may need to be skimmed several times.
• After 1 1/2 hours, check the meat for tenderness. If not quite soft enough, cook for the additional 30 minutes. If the meat is cooking gently, it will not need to be topped up with any additional stock or water. The sauce will have reduced, thickening it's consistency and increasing it's flavour.
• Taste for seasoning, adding a dash or two of Worcestershire Sauce to the mixture. Transfer to a 2 pint pie dish and allow to cool to lukewarm.
• Preheat the oven to 220°C/425°F.
• Roll the pastry 1/4-inch thick. Cut a strip of pastry to sit around the rim of the dish. This will help the top to stay on. Brush the rim of the pie dish with some beaten egg and apply the strip. Brush again with egg. Making sure the pastry top is bigger than the dish, sit it on top. Push down around the sides, trim and crimp for a neat finish. Brush completely with egg wash and place in the preheated oven. Bake for 30 to 40 minutes until golden brown.

STEAK & KIDNEY STEW, CROCK POT/SLOW COOKER.

Steps:

• Switch your crock pot/slow cooker on to warm-up.
• Peel and slice the carrots, onions and garlic.
• Place vegetables in the bottom of the crock pot/slow cooker, replace lid while you work on the meat.
• Remove skin from the kidneys if there is any. Cut into as big or small pieces that you like, set aside.
• Cut the steak into 1 inch cubes, place in a zip-lock bag with the kidneys and 1/4 cup of all purpose flour, close the bag leaving some air in it and shake well to coat the meat. Remove meat from the bag and place on top of the vegetables in the crock pot/slow cooker. Replace lid.
• In a jug place the 1 cup of wine, 1/2 cup of boiling water, 2 oxo cubes, 1 tbsp tomato puree, soy sauce and mix well. Pour over the ingredients in the crock pot/slow cooker.
• Sprinkle chili flakes and rosemary on top of stew. Add as much black pepper as you like.
• Cook on low all day or until the meat and vegetables are tender.
• I have not added salt because of the stock cubes & soy sauce, but you can if liked.
• When cooked. Check that the stew is as thick as you like it. If not mix the 2 tsp of cornflour with 2 tsp cold water. Turn the crock pot/slow cooker to high and stir in the cornflour, a little at a time, stirring and checking that it is as thick as you want the stew to be. You don't need to add all the cornflour if it's how you want the stew.
• Serve with boiled potatoes and steamed broccoli or any vegetables you like.
• Note: You might like to add frozen peas in the last 5 minutes.

STEAK & KIDNEY PUDDING

Steps:

• Melt 1 1/2 tbsp of the dripping in a large, non-stick pan. Fry the onions, carrot and bay leaves for 15 mins, stirring frequently, until golden.
• Mix the flour, mustard powder and some seasoning in a large bowl, then toss in the steak and kidneys until they are coated. Remove the vegetables from the pan with a slotted spoon and set aside. Add the remaining dripping to the pan and fry the meat until browned.
• Stir the stout into the remaining flour left in the bowl, then pour into the pan of meat with the stock, and stir over the heat until thickened to a gravy. Return the vegetables to the pan, cover tightly and simmer for 1 hr 15 mins-1 hr 30 mins, stirring frequently, so that the flour in the sauce doesn't stick to the bottom of the pan. If necessary, add a drop or two of water to loosen the consistency, but not too much as you want a thick gravy. The meat won't be completely tender, but it will cook further in the pudding. Set aside to cool or chill overnight.
• To make the suet pastry, put the flour, baking powder and suet in a bowl with 1/2 tsp salt. Pour in 150ml cold water and stir with a round-bladed knife to bring the mixture together as a dough. Tip onto a lightly floured surface, knead briefly until smooth, then cut off 1/4 and set aside.
• Very generously grease a 1.2-litre pudding basin. Roll out the biggest piece of dough to a circle large enough to line the inside of the basin right up to the rim. Press the pastry into the basin so that it is an even thickness, then spoon in the steak & kidney mixture. Roll out the remaining pastry to make a round to fit as a lid on top of the basin. Brush round the edge with water, then place on top of the filling, wetted-side down, and seal all the way round with the sides to enclose.
• Cover the basin with a double layer of greased baking parchment and foil, pleating them first to allow for expansion (alternatively, use muslin). Then tie with string, adding a string handle for easy lifting in and out of the pan.
• Put an upturned heatproof saucer in the base of a large pan and put the pudding basin on top. Pour in boiling water from the kettle to come 3/4 up the side of the basin, then cover the pan tightly with a lid. If you can't close the pan, cover tightly with foil instead and leave to simmer for 2 hrs over a low heat. If you need to, top with more boiling water, but if the seal is tight, this shouldn't be required.
• Remove the pudding from the pan and leave to settle for 5 mins, then turn out onto a plate, scatter with parsley (if you like), and serve with mash and greens.

STEAK AND KIDNEY PUDDING WITH STEAK AND KIDNEY GRAVY

Steps:

• For the pastry, first sift the flour and the salt into a large mixing bowl. Add some freshly ground black pepper, then add the suet and mix it into the flour using the blade of a knife. When it's evenly blended, add a few drops of cold water and start to mix with the knife, using curving movements and turning the mixture around. The aim is to bring it together as a dough, so keep adding drops of water until it begins to get really claggy and sticky. Now abandon the knife, go in with your hands and bring it all together until you have a nice smooth elastic dough, which leaves the bowl clean. It's worth noting that suet pastry always needs more water than other types, so if it is still a bit dry just go on adding a few drops at a time.
• After that, take a quarter of the dough for the lid, then roll the rest out fairly thickly. What you need is a circle, about 32.5cm/13in in diameter. Now line the bowl with the pastry, pressing it well all around. Next chop the steak and kidney into fairly small cubes (reserving the trimmings for the gravy), toss them in the seasoned flour, then add them to the pastry-lined basin with the slices of onion. Add enough cold water to reach almost the top of the meat and sprinkle in a few drops of Worcestershire sauce and another seasoning of salt and pepper.
• Roll out the pastry lid, dampen its edges and put it in position on the pudding. Seal well and cover with a double sheet of foil, pleated in the centre to allow room for expansion while cooking. Now secure it with string, making a little handle so that you can lift it out of the hot steamer. Then place it in a steamer over boiling water. Steam for five hours, topping up the boiling water halfway through.
• For the gravy, simply place the meat trimmings in a saucepan with the half onion, cover with one pint of water, add some seasoning and simmer for approximately one hour. Then strain the stock, and in the same pan, fry the remaining onion, chopped small, in the beef dripping until soft and blackened at the edges. Then stir in the flour, gradually add the stock little by little to make a smooth gravy, adding a spot of gravy browning if it's needed. Taste to check the seasoning and add a few drops of Worcestershire sauce.
• To serve, either serve the pudding by spooning portions straight out of the bowl, or slide a palette knife round the edge and turn the whole thing out on to a serving plate (which is more fun!).

STEAK AND KIDNEY PUDDING

Steps:

• You will also need a 2 and a 1/2 pint capacity pudding basin and a steamer.
• To make the pastry first sift the flour and salt into a large mixing bowl.
• Add some freshly milled black pepper, then add the suet and mix it into the flour using the blade of a knife.
• When it is evenly blended, add few drops of cold water and start to mix with the knife, using curving movements and turning the mixture around.
• The aim is to bring it together as a dough, so keep adding drops of water until it begins to get really claggy and sticky.
• Now abandon the knife, go in with your hands and bring it all together until you have a nice smooth elastic dough which leaves the bowl clean.
• It is worth noting that suet pastry always needs more water than other types, so if it is still a bit dry just go on adding a few drops of water at a time.
• After that, take a quarter of the dough for the lid, then roll the rest out fairly thickly.
• What you need is a round approx.
• 13 inches in diameter.
• Now line the bowl with the pastry, pressing it well all around Next, chop the steak and kidney into fairly small cubes, toss them into the seasoned flour, then add them to the pastry lined basin with the slices of onion.
• Add enough cold water to reach almost the top of the meat and sprinkle in a few drops of Worcestershire sauce and another seasoning of salt and pepper.
• Roll out the pastry lid, dampen its edges and put it in position on the pudding.
• Seal well and cover with a double sheet of foil, pleated in the center to allow room for expansion while cooking.
• Now secure it with string, making a little handle to that you can lift it out of the hot steamer.
• Then place it in a steamer over boiling water.
• Steam for 5 hours, adding more boiling water halfway through.
• You can either serve the pudding by spooning portions out of the basin, or slide a palette knife round the edge and turn the whole thing out on to a serving plate- place veggies below around pudding and garnish with fresh sprigs of parsley.
• Serving suggestion with the pudding would be boiled potatoes, boiled carrots and spring greens.
• This recipe is taken from Delia Smith's Winter Collection©- I hope she doesn't mind, I did buy the book!