How To Make Steak and Kidney Pudding Like Mother Used To Make

I remember as a child how succulent and tender the beef recipes my Mother used to cook were,with thick juicy gravy and a lovely creamy mash potato to soak it up.I wasn't so keen on the veg to go with it then though! Of course today I can't get enough of lovely vegetables! Here are a few recipes I used to love and I hope you enjoy them too!

Steak and Kidney Pudding image

Steak and Kidney Pudding

Ingredients 

675  g./1 & 1/2 stewing steak,cubed
225 g./8 oz.ox kidney,diced ( use more beef if you don't like kidney)
50 g./2 oz. seasoned flour
2 onions,finely chopped
beef stock
PASTRY
275 g./10 oz. self raising flour
pinch of salt
150 g./5 oz. shredded suet
water

Method

Coat the steak and kidney pieces with the seasoned flour
To make the pastry,sift the flour and salt into a bowl
Add the suet and enough cold water to mix to a soft rolling consistency
Roll out the dough and cut off and reserve a quarter 
Use the remaining dough to line a 2 ltr/3 pint basin
Mix the onions with the meat and put the meat into the basin
Add just enough stock to come half way up the meat mixture
Dampen the edges of the dough 
Arrange the remaining dough on top to form a lid,pressing the edges together firmly to seal
Cover with greased greeseproof paper and foil,making a pleat in the centre to allow room for the pudding to rise
Steam or boil for 4 to 5 hours or until the meat is tender
Serve in the basin
Make a gravy to serve with the pudding,or when you cut out the first portion,add a little hot beef stock and use this as gravy.

Serves 6

                                                    Video steak and kidney pudding

How To Make Lamb Stew and Dumplings Like Mother Used to Make

A nourishing tender lamb stew recipe with light and fluffy dumplings,to bring back memories of how food used to taste.

Lamb stew image

Lamb Stew with Dumplings


Ingredients 

1 kg./2 lb. lean lamb,cubed
50 g./2 0z. seasoned flour
50 ml./2 fl.oz.cooking oil
2 onions chopped
3 carrots chopped
3 potatoes chopped
1 bay leaf
5 ml./1 tsp dried thyme
salt and pepper
425 ml./15 fl.oz. chicken stock
150 ml./5 fl.oz. tomato sauce
15 ml./1 tbs flour
15 ml./1 tbs water

Dumplings

125 g./4 oz. self raising flour
2.5 ml./1/2 tsp salt
10 ml./2 tsp butter
15 ml./1 tbs chopped fresh parsley
50-75 ml./2-3 fl.oz.milk


Method

Coat the lamb cubes with the seasoned flour
Heat the oil in a pan and add the lamb cubes,browning on all sides
Add the vegetables and stir fry for 5 minutes
Stir in the bay leaf,thyme,salt and pepper to taste,stock and tomato sauce
Bring to the boil,cover and simmer for one hour.

 
 To make the dumplings

Sift the flour and salt together
Rub in the butter,then stir in the parsley (coriander if preferred)
Add enough milk to make a soft dough
Drop heaped tbs of the dumpling mixture into the stew
Cover and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes,or until the lamb is tender
Blend the flour and water together and stir into the stew
Cook for 2 minutes,stirring constantly,or until the sauce thickens 

Serves 4-6



                                          Beef and ale stew

                                              

How To Make Homemade Soups Like Mother Used To Make

A selection of homemade soup recipes from the past just like you enjoyed in childhood,bringing back those nourishing,warming soups,especially on a cold winters night.

Oxtail Soup

Ingredients 

1 oxtail,skinned and cut into pieces
salt and pepper
50 ml./2 fl.oz.oil
2 onions sliced
2 carrots sliced
2 celery stalks sliced
2 turnips chopped
2 ltr/3 & 1/2 pints water
1 x 400 g./14 oz.can tomatoes
2.5 ml./1/2 tsp dried basil
30 ml./2 tbs flour
50 ml/2 fl.oz. sherry

Method

Rub the oxtail with the salt and pepper
Heat the oil in a solid saucepan
Add the oxtail and brown on all sides
Transfer to a plate
Add the onions,carrots,celery and turnips to the pan and fry for 10 minutes
Return the oxtail to the pan,add the water and bring to the boil
Cover and simmer for 4 hours or until the meat is falling off the bone

 Add the tomatoes with the can juice,basil and salt and pepper to taste
Mix the flour with the sherry to form a smooth paste and stir into the soup
Bring to the boil stirring constantly,then simmer for a further 10 minutes
Cool then chill for 8 hours or overnight
Remove any fat from the surface of the soup,then pour into a pan and bring slowly to the boil
simmer for a further 5 minutes or until it is completely reheated.

Serves 6


Italian Fish Soup

75 ml./3 fl.oz. cooking oil
1 large onion thinly sliced
1 kg./2 lb. tomatoes skinned and chopped
30 ml./2 tbs chopped fresh parsley
1 garlic clove crushed
1 kg./2 lb. mixed white fish fillets chopped
600 ml./1 pint fish stock ( this can be made from head and scraps of fish and simmered in water) or shop bought
salt and pepper

Method

Heat the oil in a solid pan
When hot,add add the onion and fry for 5 minutes
Add the tomatoes,parsley and garlic,cover and simmer for 15 minutes
Add the fish pieces and stock,re-cover and bring to the boil
Simmer for 10 to 15 minutes,or until the fish flakes
Season to taste.

Serves 6


Cock-a-Leekie

1 x 2 kg./4 lb.chicken
2 & 1/2 ltr/4 pints water
1 kg./2 lb. leeks washed and chopped
50 g./2 oz.pearl barley,washed
salt and pepper

Method

Put the chicken,water and three of the leeks in a large pan
Cover and bring to the boil,then simmer gently for 1 hour or until the chicken is tender
Remove the chicken from the pan and cool
Skim off the scum from the top of the soup and add the remaining leeks,barley and salt and pepper to taste
Cover and simmer for 30 minutes
Remove the meat from the chicken and chop it into small pieces
Add the meat to the soup and simmer for a further 5 minutes

Serves 8



Carrot Soup

675 g./1 & 1/2 lb. carrots,chopped
900 ml./1 & 1/2 pints chicken stock ( made from chicken carcass,onion,bay leaf,water) or stock cube or shop bought
30 ml./2 tbs butter
30 ml./2 tbs flour
salt and pepper
10 ml./2 tsp tomato puree
175 ml./6 fl.oz. single cream
15 ml./1 tbs chopped parsley


Method

Put the carrots and stock in a pan and bring to the boil
Simmer for 20 minutes or until the carrots are soft
Strain the soup,reserving the stock,and rub the carrots through the strainer to form a puree
   Melt the butter in the pan,stir in the flour to form a smooth paste and gradually stir in the reserved stock
Add the pureed carrots and season to taste
Bring to the boil,add the tomato puree and cream and stir well
Garnish with the parsley

Serves 4


This is the first day of my new blog and there are many more more recipes to follow