More steak and kidney

Following the not altogether satisfactory steak and kidney reported at reference 1, I thought to have a go myself.

Ordered up the necessary from Ben the Butcher and ended up with 0.854g of braising steak (no fat or waste) and 0.552g of ox kidney, that is to say one entire kidney, complete with fat. 

Cut up the beef and the trimmed kidney into suitable sized chunks. Started the beef in a little butter at 11:00. Added the kidney at 11:30. Added two onions, finely chopped, at 12:00. After a bit, added half a pint of water and brought it back to heat. Turned ring down to 2 and left it all for a bit, with the lid on.

The meat seemed cooked at 13:00 so I took it off the heat and drained the liquor off, maybe half a pint of it, with which to make the gravy. Added the gravy back to the meat just before the off and added the mushrooms.

Served with mash and greens. Rather good, though I say it myself.

Plus some Argentinian red for a change. From the people at reference 2. I seem to recall reading in 'drinks business' that this is a company which has been upping its game, moving out of the economy reds into the dining experience.

Dessert took the form of a novelty plum pie, using the plums and marzipan bought in M&S the day before, as reported at reference 3. For something which BH had not made before, it turned out very well indeed. And one did need red plums rather than green plums, which would have looked quite wrong, never mind about their taste.

On the plate.

With a few of the giant cob nuts to follow. Fresh, not kiln dried in the way of most of those on offer around Christmas time.

Later that day, a turn around town, to find that the trolley outside what used to be Majestic is now well and truly boxed in. Maybe action is imminent.

Two young oaks in Longmead Road which look to be doing well. Good to see.

Enough left over for a second meal on the second day, which was served in cottage pie format. Pastry would perhaps have been better, but we did have some left over potato to use up. Plus more greens, plus swede.

Enough plum pie too - which, coincidentally, had figured in the previous episode of 'The Archers', of which BH is a long-time follower. A pie which stood the 24 hours well.

PS:  BH tells me her tart is properly called a plum and almond tart, but Bing failed to find anything that matched. With the snap above, lifted from reference 4, being well off-centre.

References

Reference 1: https://psmv5.blogspot.com/2024/09/steak-and-kidney.html.

Reference 2: https://luigibosca.com/.

Reference 3: https://psmv5.blogspot.com/2024/10/the-bent-crane.html.

Reference 4: https://www.thespruceeats.com/classic-plum-and-almond-tart-4099689.