Ingredients

• 3 very fresh lambs' kidneys
• 700g/1lb 8¾oz well-marbled braising steak
• trimmed
• cut into 2.5cm/1in cubes
• 3 tbsp plain flour
• salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 4-5 tbsp sunflower oil
• 1 medium onion
• peeled
• chopped
• 200ml/7¼fl oz red wine
• 4-5 sprigs fresh thyme
• 1 fresh bay leaf
• 500ml/18fl oz good-quality beef stock
• 1 tbsp tomato purée
• 350g/12¼oz self-raising flour
• 175g/6¼oz shredded suet
• ½ tsp fine sea salt
• butter
• for greasing

Directions

• Preheat the oven to 170ºC/350ºF/Gas 3.
• Rinse the kidneys and pat dry with kitchen paper. Cut the kidneys
• in half
• snip out the white cores and cut the kidneys into roughly 1.5cm/¾in pieces.
• Place the cubes of steak into a large
• strong plastic bag and the kidney pieces into another bag. Divide the flour between the two bags
• then season
• to taste
• with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Tie the ends of the bags and shake until the steak and kidneys are thoroughly coated in the seasoned flour.
• Heat two tablespoons of the oil in a large non-stick frying pan and fry the steak
• in batches
• over a medium heat
• adding extra oil as needed
• until the steak is well-browned all over. Remove the steak from the frying pan with a slotted spoon and transfer to a flameproof casserole.
• Return the frying pan to the heat and repeat the process with the kidneys
• frying on both sides until well-browned. Remove the kidneys from the frying pan with a slotted spoon and transfer to the casserole.
• Return the frying pan to the heat
• add the remaining oil
• then add the onion. Cook the onion over a low heat
• stirring often
• for five minutes
• or until softened. Stir the cooked onion into the casserole with the beef and kidneys.
• Deglaze the frying pan with the wine
• bringing it to the boil while stirring to lift all the browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Pour the mixture immediately over the beef
• kidneys and onion.
• Strip the thyme leaves from the stalks and add them to the casserole. Stir in the bay leaf
• beef stock and tomato purée.
• Bring the beef mixture to the boil. Remove three ladlefuls of the sauce for gravy and set aside in a small pan to cool. When cooled
• set it aside in the fridge for use as gravy.
• Cover the casserole and transfer to the oven to cook for 1½-2 hours
• or until the beef is tender (stir the mixture halfway through cooking).
• Return the casserole to the hob and simmer the mixture for 2-3 minutes
• or until the sauce is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. When the sauce is thick enough
• remove from the heat and leave to cool.
• Meanwhile
• for the suet pastry
• put the flour
• suet and salt into a large bowl and mix until well combined.
• Stir in enough water to make a soft dough - you'll probably need around 300ml/10½fl oz of water. Turn out the dough onto a floured surface and bring it together to form a ball. Knead the dough lightly
• then remove a generous quarter of the dough to make a lid for the pudding and set aside. Roll out the remaining pastry into a rough 5cm/10in circle (the size of an average dinner plate). It should be about 1cm/¼in thick.
• Butter a 1.5 litre/2 pint 12¾fl oz pudding basin and line it with the pastry. The pastry should reach 1cm/¼in above the top of the dish. Prs the pastry against the sides of the basin and trim neatly.
• Spoon the steak and kidney mixture into the pastry-lined pudding basin. Brush the rim of the pastry with water. Roll the remaining pastry into a circle just large enough to sit on top of the pudding dish and place it over the filling. Trim into place and press the edges together well to seal.
• Cover the dish with a large circle of baking parchment
• with a pleat in the middle to allow for expansion. Cover the parchment with a circle of aluminium foil
• again with a pleat. Secure both covers tightly with string. Create a carrying handle by tying the excess string across the top of the basin - this will help you lift the pudding out of the pan after it's cooked.
• Place the pudding onto an upturned saucer or small trivet in a large
• deep saucepan and add enough just-boiled water to come halfway up the sides of the basin. Cover the pan with a tight-fitting lid and place on the hob over a medium heat. Steam the pudding in simmering water for 2½ hours
• adding more water as necessary.
• When the pudding is cooked through
• turn off the heat and carefully lift the basin from the water. Let the pudding stand for five minutes.
• Heat the reserved gravy on the hob
• stirring
• until the gravy is bubbling and heated through. Strain through a small sieve into a warmed jug.
• Cut the string
• foil and paper off the pudding basin. Run a blunt-ended knife around the inside of the pudding basin to loosen the sides of the pudding and invert it onto a deep plate. Serve in generous wedges with hot gravy.