A VERY Happy New Year to you all. I do

hope 1993 will be a turn for the better — '92 seemed to reach an all-time low. I am feeling rather guilty at having found an old fax, dated early November, nestling in the fireplace, which serves as my letter pigeon- hole. It is from Nigel Sturgeon of Tun- bridge Wells, who must be thoroughly disgusted by now, and is a request for a receipt for good old steak and kidney pud- ding for his surgeon friend in Alaska. Maybe they don't have suet in Alaska. Any- how, here goes.

Steak and Kidney Pudding For the filling:

2 lbs rump steak 1 whole ox kidney

2 tablespoons seasoned flour 1 large onion chopped

3 oz butter '2 pint beef stock ' pint red wine A bouquet garni of bay leaf, parsley, thyme

For the suet crust: 10 oz self-raising flour

1 level teaspoon baking powder

3, teaspoon salt

Pepper, freshly ground

3, teaspoon dried thyme

4 oz chopped or grated suet Cold water

Suet is the problem nowadays. Those fools in the EEC have forbidden the real stuff, so you have to buy the packeted sort unless you have a real and friendly butcher. Cut the steak into strips, 2 inches by 1 inch, and slice the kidney, removing all fat and skin from both, and shake in the seasoned flour (in a plastic bag). Fry the onion in the butter until browned, then remove with a slotted spoon to a plate. Fry the meats rapidly in batches to brown all over, then transfer to a casserole. Pour the wine and stock into the frying pan and boil for a moment or two scraping the bottom for scraps. Pour over the meat, add the onions and the bouquet garni, cover with the lid and cook in a preheated oven at Gas 2, 310F, 154C, for 1"2 hours until almost cooked, This can all be done in advance.

To make the crust — mix all the dry ingredients in a large bowl making sure the suet is evenly distributed. Stir in cold water with a knife to make a firm dough, knead with fingertips until smooth. Roll out on a floured surface into a big enough circle to cover a 3-pint pudding basin. Cut out a quarter segment and set aside for the lid. Butter the pudding basin and place the three-quarter circle of pastry into it, joining the ends so it fits as smoothly as possible, and leave about an inch overhanging the rim. Check the seasoning of the meat filling and scoop into the basin, it should come to an inch below the rim. Roll out the remain- ing pastry to fit as a lid. Brush the edges with water, lift on a rolling-pin and cover the basin and press the edges together firmly to seal. Cut a square of foil (double thickness) 2 inches wider across than the basin top, make a pleat in the middle. Press edges under the rim of the basin, pleating as you go and secure with string or elastic, making a handle to facilitate handling or cut a long strip of foil (double thickness) to go under the bowl and hang over the sides of the saucepan or steamer.

Put the pudding in the top half of a steamer and when the water is boiling in the lower half place on top, cover and sim- mer for 1"2 to 2 hours, keeping an eye on the water which may need topping up with more boiling water. If you don't have a steamer, boil water in a large saucepan on an upside-down saucer; the water should come three-quarters of the way up the basin. Cover with the lid. When the pud- ding is cooked remove it from the pan and take off the foil cover and strings. Wrap in a white napkin and serve immediately with cabbage or sprouts. Variations can be made with the addition of "2 lb mushrooms or a dozen or so fresh oysters mixed in just before pouring the meats into the pastry. Old, tough game birds make very good steamed puddings. Over to you, Alaska.

A suitable pudding after the pudding can be found in dear Mrs Beeton's book of cookery (there is a new one out, published by Wardlock):

Port Wine Jelly

Place 2 tablespoons of water in a heatproof little jug or dish. Sprinkle with 5 teaspoons of gelatine, let it melt over a pan of hot water, stir until completely dissolved. Com- bine 2 oz sugar, 2 tablespoons of redcur- rant jelly and 14 fluid oz of water in a saucepan; heat gently until all the sugar has dissolved. Remove from heat, add gelatine and stir in 8 fluid oz of port and a few drops of red colouring. Strain through muslin, chill until set in a fetching mould.

Jennifer Paterson