Mini Steak & Mushroom Puddings

Blooming gorgeous! Mrs.H. always likes a bit of flattery but this time she has to step to one side as the noble suet pudding takes centre stage!

This recipe just worked 1^st time and it is fabulous. I’m sure that if I had used a rich veal stock, then it would have been even better!

Ingredients – makes 6 mini puddings

• 450gms of lean steak
• Flour to coat beef
• 150gms Mushrooms - sliced
• Butter / rapeseed oil
• Flour
• Thyme
• 1 medium onion - chopped
• 250ml red wine
• 2 tsp redcurrant jelly
• 350mml beef stock / veal
• Salt & pepper
• ½ tsp Worcestershire sauce

For the suet pastry:

• 250gms of self raising flour
• 125gms of Suet (I use Atora!)
• Pinch of salt
• 8 tbsps of cold water

Chop the beef into small chunks and then coat in flour. Heat a good knob of butter in a pan and add a little oil to allow the browing of the meat. When it is brown, add the onions and mushrooms and cook until soft. At this point add the wine and reduce a little. Then add the stock, thyme, Worcestershire sauce, salt and pepper and cook for around 30 minutes. The stock will reduce creating a thicker gravy - at this point, stir in the redcurrant jelly and cook for a little while longer. Taste and season accordingly.

Once done, remove all the meat, mushrooms and onions with a slotted spoon and set aside to cool. You now can make the pastry. Sift the flour into a mixing bowl and then add the suet and mix in. Slowly add the water, mixing well as you go until you get a light pastry. Leave for 20 mins.

After about 20 mins the beef will be cool and so the final stange of prep can be done. Roll out pastry to about 3/4mm thick and line a 75mm baking basin with the pastry. Fill well with the beef mixture right to the top edge of the pastry. Spoon some of the gravy left over around the meat to fill any voids but do not put too much in each pudding. Cut a circle of pastry to completely cover the top of the pudding, wet the edges with water and tightly seal down the pastry on the top with the sides of the pastry. Cover the top then with silver foil (I put a pleat in it to help if it expands) and tie up with string.

You can now put the basins into boiling water (2/3^rds the way up) and then cover the pan. Cooking times will vary but I would allow 1 to 1.5 hours if they are small puddings. Check the water level regularly.

Turn out the puddings upside down and spoon over more gravy onto the top of the pudding. Serve with a few carrots or crushed peas and mint. I do not think potatoes are needed as the suet pudding makes up for it. I guarantee you’ll enjoy it – in fact I’m going to make another batch shortly!

The description is a little short but I think you get the principle. The better the stock then the better the flavour!