Steak and Kidney Pudding

[Meat and Offal]

675g/1½lb chuck steak

225g/8oz ox kidney

plain flour

suet pastry made from 340g/12oz self raising flour

butter for greasing

salt and freshly ground black pepper

2 teaspoons very finely chopped onion

2 teaspoons chopped fresh parsley

1. Cut steak into cubes about 2.5cm/1in square.

2. Cut kidneys into cubes, discarding any sinews.

3. Place both steak and kidney into a large sieve. Pour over the flour and shake until the meat is lightly coated.

4. On a floured surface roll out two-thirds of the pastry into a round about 1cm/½in thick. Flour its surface to stop it sticking together when folded. Fold the pastry into a half moon shape. Place the pastry with the straight side away from you and roll it lightly so the straight side becomes curved and the whole rounded again. Now separate the layers, you should have a bag, roughly the shape of a 1kg/2¼lb pudding basin. Use it to line a lightly greased basin, easing the pastry where necessary to fit and trimming off the top so that 1cm/½in sticks up over the top.

5. Fill the basin with the meat, sprinkling plenty of salt, pepper, onion and parsley between the layers.

6. Add the water to come three-quarters of the way up the meat.

7. Roll the remaining pastry to 5mm/¼in thick, and large enough to just cover the pudding filling. Put in place, wet the edges and press firmly together.

8. Cover the pudding with a double piece of greaseproof paper, pleated down the centre to allow plenty of room to expand, and a piece of similarly pleated foil. Tie firmly with string.

9. Place in a saucepan of boiling water with a tightly closed lid, or in a steamer, for 5-6 hours, making sure you top up with boiling water when necessary.

10. Remove the foil and paper and serve the pudding straight from the basin.