Steak And Kidney Hot Pot With Crusted Dumplings Recipes

STEAK AND KIDNEY HOT POT WITH CRUSTED DUMPLINGS

Steps:

• I think the rich flavour of steak and kidney is improved enormously if you take a bit of time and trouble over initially browning the meat. What you need to do is melt 1 tablespoon of beef dripping in a large, solid frying pan. As soon as the fat is really hot pat the cubes of meat with kitchen paper and add the meat, just a few cubes at a time, so as not to crowd the pan. If you put too much meat in at once, this creates a steamy atmosphere and the meat will never brown, so brown the pieces on all sides a few at a time, adding them to the casserole as you go. After the meat is browned, add a little more dripping and do exactly the same with the kidney. When these have joined the meat, keeping the heat high, brown the onions, turning and moving them until they are all nicely browned at the edges - this will probably take 6-7 minutes. Then add the onions to the rest of the ingredients, give it a good seasoning, then add the flour and stir with a wooden spoon until the flour has been absorbed into the meat juices. It doesn't look very nice at this stage but that's not a problem. All you do next is add the Worcestershire sauce, mushroom ketchup, thyme and bay leaves, followed by the Brown Beef Stock. Stir well, bring everything up to a gentle simmer and place a lid on the casserole, using a layer of foil if you need to, to make a tight fit. Now place the casserole in the pre-heated oven, on the centre shelf, and leave it there for 2½ hours. After that, take the casserole out of the oven, raise the temperature to gas mark 6, 400°F (200°C) and pop the baking or pie dish in to pre-heat. Next, quickly make the dumplings by sifting the flour into a bowl, stirring in the parsley and suet and a good seasoning of salt and pepper, then sprinkle in some cold water - start with 6 tablespoons, but add enough to make a soft dough that will leave the bowl clean. Divide the dough into 12 small pieces and just roll each one between your palms into a dumpling shape. Now spoon the steak and kidney into the pre-heated pie dish or baking dish, then pop the dumplings on top and place the whole lot in the oven on a high shelf for 25-30 minutes or until the dumplings are cooked underneath and brown and crunchy on top. If the casserole you're using is a shallow one, you can dispense with the baking dish and pop the dumplings straight in.

STEAK AND KIDNEY HOTPOT

Steps:

• First melt some beef dripping in a large, wide-based saucepan and fry the onions in it to soften for about 5 minutes or so; then turn the heat right up, add the cubes of beef and kidney and cook them to a nutty brown colour - keep stirring and turning the meat as it browns. Now lower the heat a bit, sprinkle in the flour and stir it around to soak up the meat juices. Season well, add the Worcestershire sauce, then gradually stir in the stock and bring to simmering point. Next pour the meat mixture into a casserole or pie dish and arrange the thickly sliced potatoes in layers all over the meat. Season the potatoes, brush them with melted butter, then cover the casserole with a lid or foil and bake in the oven for 2½ -3 hours. Before serving remove the lid and brown the potatoes under a very hot grill to get them really crisp.

A GOOD STEAK & KIDNEY PIE

Steps:

• It's important to cook the meat a day ahead, so that you can discard any fat that has risen to the top, and so that the pastry doesn't slump in the face of a too-warm filling, so up to 48 hours ahead -make the pastry. Whizz the flour and a pinch of fine sea salt together for a few seconds in a food processor, then add the butter and whizz until the mixture looks like coarse breadcrumbs. Whisk together the egg yolk and 3 tbsp water and whizz with the pastry until it collects in a ball. Wrap in cling film and leave it to rest in the fridge for at least one hour.
• Cut button-mushroom-sized lobes of kidney from the white central core (discarding). Cut the beef into bite-sized cubes and cut the mushrooms into chunks.
• Heat 1 tbsp of the oil in a large, heavy frying pan over a medium-high heat. Throw in the kidney and fry until lightly coloured. Tip into a colander to drain.
• Wipe out the frying pan and return it to a low-medium heat, adding 25g/1oz of the butter and 1 tbsp oil. Tip in the onion and fry for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until soft and slightly golden. Transfer to a large casserole, using a slotted spoon.
• Preheat the oven to 160C/gas 3/fan 140C. Tip the 85g/3oz flour into a large plastic bag, and season it generously. Throw in the beef and shake until lightly floured.Return the frying pan to a mediumhigh heat, adding a little more oil and butter if needed. Shake off any excess flour (reserving it) then fry the beef in batches until golden-brown. As each batch is done, transfer it to the casserole.
• Adding more oil and butter to the frying pan if necessary, fry the mushrooms for about 2 minutes until starting to wilt, then add them to the casserole with the drained kidneys, hot water, bouillon powder and bay leaf, plus the excess flour in the bag if you like a thick gravy. Stir well, cover and cook in the oven for 75-90 minutes until the meat is tender and the sauce is thick. Cool thoroughly, then put in the fridge (preferably overnight) so any fat will solidify - it can then be skimmed off and discarded.
• In the morning - return the pastry to cool room temperature, then roll it out thinly on a wellfloured surface. Invert a 28-30x23cm, 6.5cm deep pie dish on to the pastry. Mentally add an extra 1cm all round, then use the dish as a guide to cut out the pastry lid. From the remnants, cut out enough 6cm-wide strips of pastry to go round the dish - they should cover the flat rim and about halfway down the insides.
• Lightly butter the rim of the dish and line it with the strip(s) of pastry, sealing any joins with a little dab of water. Butter the shoulders of a pie raiser or an upturned egg cup and stand it in the middle. Spoon in the meat mixture to come level with the top of the dish. Don't overfill: reserve any excess gravy to serve hot with the pie.
• Brush the pastry rim with a little water, then drape the pastry lid over it, pinching the edges to seal. Cover with cling film and keep in the fridge if not baking immediately.
• Finally, an hour before serving - preheat the oven to 200C/gas 6/fan 180C. Make four slashes in the lid of the pie, then brush with the egg wash. Bake for 35-45 minutes until the pastry is golden brown, turning the heat down 10-20° after about 20 minutes. Remove the pie from the oven and leave it to rest for around 10 minutes before cutting into it.

LANCASHIRE HOTPOT

Steps:

• Heat oven to 160C/fan 140C/gas 3.
• Heat a little of the 100g dripping or butter in a large shallow casserole dish and brown 900g stewing lamb chunks in batches, lift to a plate, then repeat with 3 trimmed and sliced lamb kidneys.
• Fry 2 chopped onions and 4 peeled and sliced carrots in the pan with a little more dripping until golden.
• Sprinkle over 25g plain flour, allow to cook for a couple of mins, shake over 2 tsp Worcestershire sauce, pour in 500ml lamb or chicken stock, then bring to the boil.
• Stir in the stewing lamb and kidneys and 2 bay leaves, then turn off the heat.
• Arrange 900g peeled and sliced potatoes on top of the meat, then drizzle with a little more dripping.
• Cover, then place in the oven for about 1½ hrs until the potatoes are cooked.
• Remove the lid, brush the potatoes with a little more dripping, then turn the oven up to brown the potatoes, or finish under the grill for 5-8 mins until brown.

THE CLASSIC STEAK AND KIDNEY PIE

Steps:

• Heat a large frying pan with a little of the dripping or oil. Season the diced beef with salt and pepper. Fry in the pan until well coloured and completely sealed. Life out the meat and transfer to a large saucepan. Add a touch more oil, if necessary, to the frying pan. Season the kidneys and also fry quickly to seal and colour in the hot pan. Also transfer to the saucepan.
• Melt a knob of butter in the pan and cook the onions and carrots in the melted butter for 2 - 3 minutes. They will lift any flavours left from the meats. Put into the saucepan with the meat. Fry the mushroom slices in a little more butter, just turning in the pan for a minute or two; keep to one side.
• Place the saucepan on medium heat, stirring in the flour, and allow it to cook for 2 to 3 minutes. Add the tomato puree, bay leaf and mushrooms. Pour in the stock and bring to a simmer, skimming off any impurities. The meat should just be covered with the stock; if not, top with a little more stock or water. Simmer gently, partially covered, for 1 1/2 to 2 hours. During the cooking time it may need to be skimmed several times.
• After 1 1/2 hours, check the meat for tenderness. If not quite soft enough, cook for the additional 30 minutes. If the meat is cooking gently, it will not need to be topped up with any additional stock or water. The sauce will have reduced, thickening it's consistency and increasing it's flavour.
• Taste for seasoning, adding a dash or two of Worcestershire Sauce to the mixture. Transfer to a 2 pint pie dish and allow to cool to lukewarm.
• Preheat the oven to 220°C/425°F.
• Roll the pastry 1/4-inch thick. Cut a strip of pastry to sit around the rim of the dish. This will help the top to stay on. Brush the rim of the pie dish with some beaten egg and apply the strip. Brush again with egg. Making sure the pastry top is bigger than the dish, sit it on top. Push down around the sides, trim and crimp for a neat finish. Brush completely with egg wash and place in the preheated oven. Bake for 30 to 40 minutes until golden brown.

STEAK & KIDNEY STEW, CROCK POT/SLOW COOKER.

Steps:

• Switch your crock pot/slow cooker on to warm-up.
• Peel and slice the carrots, onions and garlic.
• Place vegetables in the bottom of the crock pot/slow cooker, replace lid while you work on the meat.
• Remove skin from the kidneys if there is any. Cut into as big or small pieces that you like, set aside.
• Cut the steak into 1 inch cubes, place in a zip-lock bag with the kidneys and 1/4 cup of all purpose flour, close the bag leaving some air in it and shake well to coat the meat. Remove meat from the bag and place on top of the vegetables in the crock pot/slow cooker. Replace lid.
• In a jug place the 1 cup of wine, 1/2 cup of boiling water, 2 oxo cubes, 1 tbsp tomato puree, soy sauce and mix well. Pour over the ingredients in the crock pot/slow cooker.
• Sprinkle chili flakes and rosemary on top of stew. Add as much black pepper as you like.
• Cook on low all day or until the meat and vegetables are tender.
• I have not added salt because of the stock cubes & soy sauce, but you can if liked.
• When cooked. Check that the stew is as thick as you like it. If not mix the 2 tsp of cornflour with 2 tsp cold water. Turn the crock pot/slow cooker to high and stir in the cornflour, a little at a time, stirring and checking that it is as thick as you want the stew to be. You don't need to add all the cornflour if it's how you want the stew.
• Serve with boiled potatoes and steamed broccoli or any vegetables you like.
• Note: You might like to add frozen peas in the last 5 minutes.