Steak & Kidney Pudding

Wash the kidney, remove membranes and fat, and cut kidney in 1" cubes. Cube the steak into 1" cubes. Melt the shortening in a heavy pot. Add the onions and cook, stirring often, until well browned. Add the steak and kidneys. When the meat is browned on all sides, pour on 2 cups of boiling water, Worcester, salt, and pepper. Cove and cook over a very low heat for 1 1/2 hours, or until the steak is tender. Preheat the oven to 400 F. Blend the butter with the flour to make a beurre manie. Drop small pellets of this paste into the sauce and stir to thicken it. Put meat and sauce into a deep pie plate and sprinkle with parsley. If you wish to use a pastry topping, roll out the dough and cover the pie plate. Slash the top, crimp the edges, and bake about 30 minutes, or until well browned. Pastry: Mix the flour and salt. Cut in the shortening with a pastry blender. Combine lightly only until the mixture resembles coarse meal or very tine peas; its texture will not be uniform but will contain crumbs and small bits and pieces. Sprinkle water over the flour mixture, a tablespoon at a time, and mix lightly with a fork, using only enough water so that the pastry will hold together when pressed gently into a ball.

Fannie Farmer Cookbook