Braised carrots
Slice the carrots thinly.
Stew them gently in a thick bottomed pan with butter and a very little
water until cooked. They will take about 30 minutes.
Season with salt pepper and a pinch of sugar.
Ingredients for 2 - 4:
150 ml (¼ pint) of dry cider (or white wine)
125 g (4 oz) mushrooms
450 g (1 lb) pork
15 ml (one tablespoon) flour
15 ml (one tablespoon) vegetable oil
a large cooking apple
15 ml (one tablespoon) Calvados or brandy (optional)
salt and pepper
fresh parsley
Slice the mushrooms and put in a pan with the cider. Bring to the boil and simmer for about 10 minutes.
Cut the pork into slices or cubes and roll in the flour. Heat the oil in a frying pan or heat-proof casserole and brown the pork.
Meanwhile peel, core and slice the apple.
Add the cider, mushrooms, apple and Calvados to the pork. Either cover and simmer or transfer to the oven and cook until the meat is tender. (That will be about 30 minutes on top and 45 - 60 in the oven ? depending on how hot it is when transferred.)
When cooked, season to taste and sprinkle with chopped parsley.
Ingredients for 4 helpings:
For the filling:
350 g (¾ lb) braising steak
350 g (¾ lb) ox kidney
45 ml (3 tablespoons) plain flour
salt and pepper
optional ingredients: pickled onion, chopped parsley, sliced onions,
chopped mushrooms.
For the pastry:
250 g (8 oz) self-raising flour (or plain flour and 2 teaspoonfuls
baking powder)
75 g (3 oz) shredded suet
pinch of salt
water for mixing
First cut the beef and kidney into cubes removing hard white bits from the kidney. Put them into a bowl with the plain flour, salt and pepper and any optional ingredients except for the pickled onion and mix.
Grease a pudding basin of about 1 litre (1½ - 2 pints in capacity). I use a plastic one with a snap on lid.
Next make the pastry. Mix the flour with the suet and salt and add water to make a soft dough. Keep about ¼ of the pastry for the lid and roll out the rest into a circle. Lift this and line the pudding basin leaving the edges overlapping the sides. Roll out the other piece to make a lid.
Put the meat mixture into the basin, place the pickled onion into the centre and add about 90 ml (6 tablespoons) of water. Dampen the edge of the pastry and cover with the lid piece, sealing the edges. Cover with the snap-on lid or greased grease-proof paper and foil.
Steam for 3 - 4 hours.
To serve, run a knife round the pudding, invert a hot dish over it, turn upside down and shake if necessary. Eat while still hot.