The British Bulldog Traditional Layered Beef Steak Suet 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 BRITISH BULLDOG! TRADITIONAL LAYERED BEEF STEAK SUET PUDDING

Steps:

• (Cook the meat 2 hours prior to steaming the assembled pudding.).
• Filling: Dip meat in seasoned flour and fry lightly. Add onions and fry until golden. Place in casserole with stock, tomato puree and herbs and cook for 2 hours. Cool.
• Pastry: Put flour, suet and seasoning in a bowl. Add sufficient water to form a firm but soft dough.
• Pudding: Roll out the suet pastry and using assorted sizes of saucers, cut out rounds to fit the pudding bowl diameter, starting off small and getting bigger!
• In a well buttered pudding basin, start with a small round of suet pastry and then add some stewed beef, then a layer of suet pastry and then the beef -- carry on in this way until all the pastry and beef is used up - the last layer should be suet pastry. Cover with buttered greasproof paper and then aluminium foil.
• Steam for 2 hours, making sure there is always plenty of water. (Always top up the steamer with BOILING water - adding cold water will make the pudding heavy.).
• Serve with fresh seasonal greens and vegetables and mashed or steamed potatoes.

BEEF, ALE & PARSNIP PUDDING

Steps:

• Heat a large pan and cook the onion and lardons together for 5 mins until golden. Scoop out with a slotted spoon and set aside. Add the oil to the pan, dust the beef with the flour, then evenly brown over a high heat.
• Add the parsnips, ale, stock, jelly, thyme and lardon mixture to the pan. Bring to the boil, then cover and simmer for 1½ hrs until the meat is tender.
• Generously butter a 1.5-litre pudding basin. To make the pastry, mix together the flour, mustard powder, suet and ½ tsp table salt. Add enough cold water, about 150ml, to make a soft dough. Remove one-quarter of the dough and set to one side. On a heavily floured surface, roll out the remaining dough to make a large round, big enough to line the basin.
• Carefully lay the pastry in the basin (aim to have 1cm of pastry overhanging the rim), then press the edges of the join together to seal. Roll out the remaining one-quarter into a circle big enough to cover the top.
• Pour off the cooking liquid from the filling into a small pan and set aside. Discard the thyme stalks. Spoon the filling into the lined basin and pour over 100ml of the cooking liquid. Fold over the overhanging pastry and brush with water. Place the lid on top, pressing firmly around the edges to seal.
• Butter a sheet of baking parchment, fold in a large pleat and lay, butter-side down, on top of the pudding. Cover with a pleated layer of foil and finally tie with string, making a loop for the handle so you can lift the pudding easily.
• Sit a small trivet or a large cookie cutter in the bottom of a deep saucepan that's big enough to take the basin easily. Half-fill the pan with water and bring to the boil. Lower in the pudding, cover and simmer for 2 hrs, topping up with boiling water when necessary.
• Reheat the cooking liquid, bubbling it down a little so it reduces into a tasty gravy. Carefully lift out the pudding. Run a knife around the rim, then turn out and serve with gravy and greens, if you like.

YORKIE BEEF PUDDING

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
• Place eggs, milk, salt, and flour in a blender and blend until smooth.
• Let rest.
• Melt the 2 tablespoons of butter in a saucepan and saute the onion until soft.
• Add ground beef and brown well.
• Sprinkle the flour over the beef and onions and blend in.
• Add water and stir.
• Bring to a boil and cook until thickened.
• Add garlic powder and Worchestershire.
• If the beef was not browned well you may need a beef bouillon cube at this point.
• Add salt and pepper to taste.
• Stir the vegetables in with the beef and gravy (If you're using leftover beef and gravy, simply heat them together in a saucepan and season to taste. Use 1 cup of leftover gravy and omit the flour and water).
• Place the 2 tablespoons of butter in a fluted quiche pan or use a 10" pie plate.
• When the butter has melted (watch carefully so that it doesn't burn) remove the pan from the oven.
• Give the Yorkshire Pudding another twist on the blender and add to the pan.
• Spread the beef and gravy mixture evenly on top within one inch of the edge.
• Put back in the oven and bake for 30 minutes or until the pudding is golden brown.
• Serve with additional heated gravy if you wish.

APPLE SUET PUDDING

Steps:

• Gradually add sugar to beaten eggs.
• Add suet, raisins, apples, vanilla and flour (sifted with salt and soda).
• Note: This should read 1 cup white sugar or 1 cup brown sugar.
• Steam 3 hours.
• To Steam: Place pudding in well oiled 1 1/2 quart mold, fill 2/3 full. Cover with lid of mold or 2 thicknesses of waxed paper securly tied. Cook in a covered steamer, over boiling water or on a rack in a covered kettle of boiling water. The water should be half the depth of the mold. Add more boiling water as needed.
• This was served with either a lemon sauce or a vinegar sauce.
• ENJOY!

WELSH GRANDMOTHER'S PUDDING (PWDIN MAMGU)

Steps:

• Soak the bread crumbs in the milk
• add the suet and mix well.
• Place a layer of the bread crumb mixture on the bottom of a well buttered 5 cup pie dish or shallow baking dish.
• cover with a layer of blackberries, apples and sugar.
• Continue to fill the dish with alternate layers of the bread crumb mixture and of the fruit and sugar, finishing with a thick layer of the bread crumb mixture.
• Bake in a preheated 375°F oven for approximately one hour, or until the pudding is golden brown.
• Welsh Fare S. Minwel Tibbott.