It seems everyone you speak too recently seems to have the dreaded cold. So it got me thinking about immunity boosting foods. This month will see thousands of us start to get vacinated against flu as we start to get prepared for the colder months.

If your think of your immune system as a army, the stronger it is the better it fights off invaders such as cold germs. An amazing fact is that cold germs can live on the average hanky for hours. Another striking fact is that contrary to belief, we rarely catch colds through the air; instead we pick germs up on our hands and introduce them into our systems when we touch our nose’s or mouth’s. So one of the best ways to ward off colds is the wash your hands.

Zinc is vital for the formation of white blood cells which help fight infection. You can boost your intake with 2 to 3 serving of lean beef per week for example with just 75g of beef containing 30% of your daily intake of zinc. Satsumas are a great source of vitamin C the number one cold fighting nutrient, there are other fruits which are high in vitamin C too. All of these can assist us in finghting off the germs.

I read recently that the pleasure we get from eating chocolate or even smelling chocolate actually can boost our immune system well thats my excuse anyway!

One thing Grandmother would make for us when we were poorly was her fantastic traditional Steak & Kidney Pudding. Its a family favourite which has been passed down generations of our family. It is perfect for when your feeling poorly served with fluffy mash potatoes and rich gravy.

You will need -
350g self-raising flour
175gshredded beef suet
cold water to mix
salt and freshly milled black pepper
560g chuck steak
225g ox kidney after trimming (so buy 275g/10oz)
2 tbsp well-seasoned flour
1 medium onion, sliced
cold water
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
salt and freshly milled black pepper

You will also need a well-buttered, 1.5 litre capacity pudding basin and a steamer. To make the suet pastry sift the flour and salt into a large mixing bowl. Add some black pepper, then add the suet and mix. When  blended, add a few drops of cold water and start to mix with a knife to bring the dough together.  Keep adding drops of water until it becomes a smooth dough coming clean away from the bowl. 

Take a quarter of the dough for the lid, then roll the rest out thickly into a circle and line the bowl with the pastry, pressing it well all around. Chop your steak and kidney into small cubes which should be tossed in the seasoned flour, then add them to the pastry-lined basin with the slices of onion. Add enough cold water to reach almost the top of the meat and sprinkle in a few drops of Worcestershire sauce and another seasoning of salt and pepper.

Roll out the pastry lid with your rolling pin, dampen its edges and position on the pudding. Seal well and cover with a double sheet of foil, pleated in the centre to allow room for expansion while cooking. Now secure it with string. Place your pie in your steamer and steam for five hours. Make sure you top up with water if required in your steamer.

The result a delicious mouth watering pie, proper comfort food just when you need it and full of Zinc. My family love this pie and this recipe has now been  passed on to my children as my grandmother passed on to me. Tell me about a recipe you have passed on to your children or which has been passed down your family over the generations. I bet you have a secret Christmas Cake family recipe?