Chicken and leek suet pudding recipe
 A rich and favourful take on the classic chicken and leek pie. Although it takes a long time to cook there's little effort involved. For this recipe you will need a 1.2 litre/2 pint pudding bowl and a very large lidded saucepan for steaming. 500g/1lb 2oz diced chicken (a mixture of skinned thighs and breasts)1 lemon, zest onlya few white peppercorns, crusheda few fresh sage leaves100ml/3½fl oz white wine or vermouth250g/9oz leeks, trimmed and sliced into 2cm/¾in-thick rounds1 tbsp plain flour½ tsp mustard powder150ml/5fl oz chicken stocksalt 500g/1lb 2oz diced chicken (a mixture of skinned thighs and breasts) 1 lemon, zest only a few white peppercorns, crushed a few fresh sage leaves 100ml/3½fl oz white wine or vermouth 250g/9oz leeks, trimmed and sliced into 2cm/¾in-thick rounds 1 tbsp plain flour ½ tsp mustard powder 150ml/5fl oz chicken stock salt 225g/8oz self-raising flour, plus extra for dusting1 tsp baking powder1 tsp rubbed sage or ½ tsp dried sage½ tsp mustard powder100g/3½oz suet100–150ml/3½fl oz–5fl oz milkknob of butter, for greasing 225g/8oz self-raising flour, plus extra for dusting 1 tsp baking powder 1 tsp rubbed sage or ½ tsp dried sage ½ tsp mustard powder 100g/3½oz suet 100–150ml/3½fl oz–5fl oz milk knob of butter, for greasing Method For the filling, put the chicken, lemon zest, peppercorns and sage in a bowl. Add the wine, cover and leave in the fridge to marinate for at least an hour, or overnight.For the pastry, put the flour, baking powder, rubbed sage and mustard powder in a bowl. Mix thoroughly until combined. Add the suet and rub it into the flour until you reach a breadcrumb consistency. Gradually add the milk, cutting it in with a knife until the mixture comes together as a soft dough that is not at all sticky.Set aside about a quarter of the pastry to make the lid. Roll out the remaining pastry on a lightly floured work surface to form a large circle (approximately 30cm/12in). Grease a 1.2 litre/2 pint pudding bowl with butter. Cover the bottom of the bowl with a small circle of baking paper. Line the bowl with the pastry, making sure the sides are fully covered and any joins are well sealed. Roll out the remaining pastry to make the pie lid and set it aside while you finish the filling.Add the leeks to the marinated chicken. Mix the flour with the mustard powder and season with salt. Add the flour mixture to the chicken and leeks and mix well to combine. Spoon into the lined pudding basin and slowly pour in the stock. Place the pastry lid on top of the filling and press the edges together to ensure the filling is well sealed.Cover the lid with a circle of baking paper. Take a piece of aluminium foil and fold a thick pleat into it. Mould it around the top of the pudding, tie with cook's string or secure with a sturdy elastic band. Sit the pudding bowl on an upturned saucer in the bottom of a large, lidded pan. Pour in enough boiling water to come halfway up the side of the bowl. Put a lid on the pan and bring to a simmer. Reduce the heat to low and let the pudding steam for 2 hours. Top up the boiling water, if necessary, so the pan doesn’t boil dry. To serve, remove the foil lid and run a palette knife around the rim of the pudding. Turn out onto a plate and serve piping hot. For the filling, put the chicken, lemon zest, peppercorns and sage in a bowl. Add the wine, cover and leave in the fridge to marinate for at least an hour, or overnight. For the filling, put the chicken, lemon zest, peppercorns and sage in a bowl. Add the wine, cover and leave in the fridge to marinate for at least an hour, or overnight. For the pastry, put the flour, baking powder, rubbed sage and mustard powder in a bowl. Mix thoroughly until combined. Add the suet and rub it into the flour until you reach a breadcrumb consistency. Gradually add the milk, cutting it in with a knife until the mixture comes together as a soft dough that is not at all sticky. For the pastry, put the flour, baking powder, rubbed sage and mustard powder in a bowl. Mix thoroughly until combined. Add the suet and rub it into the flour until you reach a breadcrumb consistency. Gradually add the milk, cutting it in with a knife until the mixture comes together as a soft dough that is not at all sticky. Set aside about a quarter of the pastry to make the lid. Roll out the remaining pastry on a lightly floured work surface to form a large circle (approximately 30cm/12in). Grease a 1.2 litre/2 pint pudding bowl with butter. Cover the bottom of the bowl with a small circle of baking paper. Line the bowl with the pastry, making sure the sides are fully covered and any joins are well sealed. Roll out the remaining pastry to make the pie lid and set it aside while you finish the filling. Set aside about a quarter of the pastry to make the lid. Roll out the remaining pastry on a lightly floured work surface to form a large circle (approximately 30cm/12in). Grease a 1.2 litre/2 pint pudding bowl with butter. Cover the bottom of the bowl with a small circle of baking paper. Line the bowl with the pastry, making sure the sides are fully covered and any joins are well sealed. Roll out the remaining pastry to make the pie lid and set it aside while you finish the filling. Add the leeks to the marinated chicken. Mix the flour with the mustard powder and season with salt. Add the flour mixture to the chicken and leeks and mix well to combine. Spoon into the lined pudding basin and slowly pour in the stock. Place the pastry lid on top of the filling and press the edges together to ensure the filling is well sealed. Add the leeks to the marinated chicken. Mix the flour with the mustard powder and season with salt. Add the flour mixture to the chicken and leeks and mix well to combine. Spoon into the lined pudding basin and slowly pour in the stock. Place the pastry lid on top of the filling and press the edges together to ensure the filling is well sealed. Cover the lid with a circle of baking paper. Take a piece of aluminium foil and fold a thick pleat into it. Mould it around the top of the pudding, tie with cook's string or secure with a sturdy elastic band. Sit the pudding bowl on an upturned saucer in the bottom of a large, lidded pan. Pour in enough boiling water to come halfway up the side of the bowl. Put a lid on the pan and bring to a simmer. Reduce the heat to low and let the pudding steam for 2 hours. Top up the boiling water, if necessary, so the pan doesn’t boil dry. Cover the lid with a circle of baking paper. Take a piece of aluminium foil and fold a thick pleat into it. Mould it around the top of the pudding, tie with cook's string or secure with a sturdy elastic band. Sit the pudding bowl on an upturned saucer in the bottom of a large, lidded pan. Pour in enough boiling water to come halfway up the side of the bowl. Put a lid on the pan and bring to a simmer. Reduce the heat to low and let the pudding steam for 2 hours. Top up the boiling water, if necessary, so the pan doesn’t boil dry. To serve, remove the foil lid and run a palette knife around the rim of the pudding. Turn out onto a plate and serve piping hot. To serve, remove the foil lid and run a palette knife around the rim of the pudding. Turn out onto a plate and serve piping hot.