How about trying a good traditional British recipe? Here's my dad's recipe for Steak & Kidney Pudding it's delicious.

 

Steak and Kidney Pudding

Serves 4

 

Ingredients

 

Filling

1 lb stewing steak, diced.

½ lb kidney, diced (lambs is best but ox is still good).

1 medium onion, diced. (optional)

4oz flour

1 teaspoon ground pepper

1 teaspoon rock salt

3 beef stock cubes

2 table spoons Worcestershire sauce

1½ pints water

½ pint Guinness

1 tablespoon cooking oil.

Knob of butter.

 

Pastry case.

10oz self raising flour.

5 oz shredded suet (beef suet is best or veg' suet for a slightly healthier pastry).

¼ teaspoon table salt.

Cold water.

 

Method.

 

Filling.

Boil the water in a pan, add the stock cubes and Worcestershire sauce. Stir until stock cubes have dissolved then set aside keeping warm.

Add the flour, salt and pepper to a plastic bag and shake to mix.

Rinse and dry the steak and the kidney, keeping separate.

Heat the oil in skillet on medium to high heat.

Add steak to the flour mix in the bag and shake to coat. When coated add to the hot oil and fry to seal and brown. When browned add to the hot stock.

Repeat with the kidney (add extra flour, salt and pepper if needed).

Lightly fry the onion then add to the stock.

Use a small amount of Guinness to deglaze the skillet then pour into the stock adding the remainder of the Guinness to the stock.

Bring the stock pan to the boil then simmer for 1 to 1½ hours until steak is tender, stirring occasionally.

 

Pastry.

Add flour, suet and salt to a mixing bowl and rub in until it resembles breadcrumbs, it's best wash your hands in cold water first as cold hands make it easier. When you have the breadcrumb texture add just enough cold water to bind, if you add too much add a little extra flour to soak it up. Knead for a couple of minutes then wrap in cling film and keep in the fridge until needed.

 

When the steak is tender remove from the heat.

Use the knob of butter to lightly grease a 2½ pint pudding basin.

Remove the pastry mix from the fridge and use a rolling pin to roll out the mix, once rolled cut out ¼ and separate. Use the remaining mix to line the pudding basin, the missing quarter should make it easier to do this, brush on water to help seal the join.

Scoop the meat and onion from the stock pot and fill the lined basin. Ladle in gravy to approximately 2/3 full, no more or the pastry will be soggy. The remaining gravy can be reheated for use later.

Roll the remainder of the pastry mix into ball and roll out to make a top, brush on water to seal. Make 4 slits in the top for steam to escape. Cover the basin with a muslin cloth, greaseproof paper or foil can be used but remember to fold a pleat into it, and secure with string.

Place the pudding basin in a steamer and steam for 1 to 1½ hours.

When cooked carefully remove from the steamer and remove the cover and using a knife around the edge loosen. Place a plate over the top and flip over and remove the basin.

Serve with any accompaniment of your choosing and the reheated remaining gravy.

 

½ lb of mushrooms can be added if required or used to substitute the kidney, or use extra steak to substitute the kidney.

Guinness can be substituted with red wine if preferred or extra water for a non alcoholic gravy.

Most of the alcohol evaporates in the cooking process leaving only the flavour.

 

Thank you. I’ll print that recipe for the kids

I hope you get more responses with recipes, I'd like to try a few ones for myself. I'm sure that others have their favourites they can share.