Derby Savoury
Derby Savoury Pudding. A savoury pudding which was - in more frugal times - used to bulk out the meat in a meal or eaten on its own with vegetables.
Ingredients
- 2 cups of breadcrumbs
- 1 cup of oatmeal
- 1 teaspoon of very finely chopped sage
- 2 cups of organic plain flour
- 1 cup shredded suet *
- 4 organic onions
- 2 large organic eggs
- 2 cups of milk
- pepper and salt
Method
1. Put the oatmeal and flour together in a basin.
2. Pour the milk over this and leave it to stand for about 15 minutes.
3. Beat the eggs into the mixture and add the flour, sage and pepper and salt.
4. Lastly add the onions and beat well.
5. Turn into a greased tin and bake at about 200 degrees centigrade (see temperature conversions).
Serve as a main course or as an accompaniment to roast meat.
( * or vegetarian alternative )
Berkshire Bacon Pudding
A traditional pudding designed to be cheap and to be cooked in the large pot or cauldron of water which would have been the only means of cooking for poor people.
Ingredients
- 4 cups flour
- 6 rashers fat bacon
- a few sage leaves
- 6 tablespoons suet
- 2 onions
- salt and pepper to taste
Method
1. Mix the flour and suet with a little cold water to form a stiff dough.
2. Roll out the dough to a 1/4 inch thickness.
3. Chop up the bacon and onions and mix them together with the sage, salt and pepper.
4. Roll the suet pastry up enclosing bacon and seasonings.
5. Seal the dough by squeezing at both ends.
6. Wrap the pudding in a dampened, floured cloth and boil in water in a large pan for about 2 hours.
Steak and Kidney
Ingredients
chuck (stewing) steak 400gm
ox kidney 200gm
onion 1
tomato purée 25 gm
dark beer or stout 150ml
beef stock 50ml
mushrooms 10
cornflour
Suet Pastry
This quantity of suet crust pastry is enough to make a 15cm / 6in pudding, which will feed four people.
- 225g / 8oz flour
- 75-100g / 3-4 oz suet
- 2 tsp baking powder (omit if using self-raising flour)
- 1 tsp salt
- cold water
If using block suet, remove skin and shred finely. If using packet suet, weigh out quantity required and follow instructions on the packet.
Sieve flour, baking powder (if using) and salt together and add the suet.
Mix with cold water to a soft, but not sticky dough.
Turn out onto a lightly floured board and roll out as required.
Method
Slice mushrooms and chop onions
Cut chuck steak and kidney into 1 - 3 cm cubes
Cooking
1. Brown the chuck steak in hot oil, drain and set aside
2. Brown the kidney in hot oil, drain and set aside
3. Sweat off the onion (cook gently without colour) in a little butter
4. Add in the chuck steak and kidney and mix in the tomato purée, cook out for 3 - 4 minutes
5. Pour in the beer and stock, season with salt, pepper and a little Worcestershire sauce
6. Bring to the boil, skim if required and simmer until tender, skimming as needed
7. Thicken with a cornflour and water mix
8. Add mushrooms and correct seasoning
9. Allow to cool
Making the puddings
1. Line chosen dishes with the suet pastry (retaining 1/4 of the paste for the top)
2. Pour in the cooled meat mixture, leaving at least 1 cm space from the top
3. Moisten the suet paste top with water, cover the pudding and seal by pushing the two
pastes together with a finger or fork
4. Cover with greased, greaseproof paper and then tin foil and tie securely, alternatively
cover with a couple of layers of muslin cloth
5. Cook in a steamer or in a covered saucepan with water coming up 1/4 of the way up the
pudding bowl for approx. 2 - 3 hours (depending on size of pudding)
6. Remove greaseproof paper etc and clean around sides with a damp cloth dipped in salt
7. Serve in container or carefully turn out