I don't even butter my bread; I consider that cooking.
Katherine Cebrain.
Steamed Leek Pudding
The days are short, the nights are long and here in the northeast of England the first signs of winter are upon us. The mainly wet days of summer have been replaced by cold wintry days with strong biting winds coming in from the north. Inland the hills have had their first snow and at home the threatening rain has turned into showers of hailstones.
It is time to get out the winter woollies, don the overcoat, put on the scarf and gloves. A little touch of winter has come early this year and it is time to feed the inner man and woman, with something that will stick to your ribs. Central heating for the body that will give you that warm well fed feeling on a cold winters day and what could be better than a hot leek pudding covered in gravy. Cheap as chips, as they say, easy to make, and leeks are good for you too. They are low in calories and full of vitamins and minerals.
The Leek has been around since Egyptian times and the men who built the pyramids may even have eaten them. The Roman Emperor Nero ate so many of them that he was given the nickname Porophagus, (leek eater). The Phoenician traders introduced the leek to Wales when they came in search of tin and it was put to a non-culinary use in 640AD. In that year King Cadwallada fought a mighty battle against the Saxon invaders and to distinguish his men from the enemy he made them wear leeks in their hats. The Welsh won the battle and eventual the leek became the national symbol of Wales that is worn on St David’s day.
Fred Watson
Leek Pudding
Ingredients
8oz of flour
cold water
1 teaspoon of baking powder
¼ teaspoon of salt
4oz of chopped suet
1lb of leeks chopped finely
Method
Place the flour, salt, baking powder and suet into bowl and mix together
Add the leeks to the mix and bind together into a sticky dough with the cold water.
Spoon the dough into a greased pudding basin until it is ¾ full.
