Steak and ale pudding

Method

• step 1

  Heat a drizzle of oil in a large frying pan and cook the onions and mushrooms until golden, then scoop out. Toss the steak in the seasoned flour and fry until browned (you might need a drop more oil). Add back the onions and mushrooms and add the tomato purée, brown ale and thyme, stirring them together thoroughly. Bring to a simmer, cover and cook for 2 hours before leaving to cool.

• step 2

  To make the pastry, put the flour, suet, ½ tsp salt and a good grind of pepper in a bowl. Gradually mix in 150ml cold water with a dinner knife until it makes a dough.

• step 3

  Bring together into a ball, wrap in clingfilm and rest in the fridge for 30 minutes.

• step 4

  Roll the suet pastry out to a circle about 1cm thick and cut a quarter out of the circle and keep for the top. Use the rest of the pastry to line a well-buttered 1 litre pudding basin crimping the ends together.

• step 5

  Fill the lined basin with the steak mix then re-roll the leftover pastry to make a lid. Crimp the edges together to seal.

• step 6

  Lay a sheet of buttered baking paper on top of a sheet of foil, fold a pleat in the middle and smooth down to sharpen the pleat.

• step 7

  Put the double sheet on top of the pudding baking paper-side down and mould to the top of the basin with your hands.

• step 8

  Tie with string under the rim of the basin and tie a handle to make it easier to move.

• step 9

  Trim any excess foil then put in a steamer or on an upturned saucer in a large pan and pour boiling water to halfway up the sides of the bowl. Steam for 2 hours keeping an eye on the water level. To serve, unwrap then carefully turn out onto a serving plate.