Spotted Dick

Also known as plum bolster, after its shape (a bolster is a long, cylindrical pillow), spotted dick became a beloved English dish – helped by its school-playground-humour smutty name – in the mid 20th century. This version comes from Alexis Soyer, one of the 19th century’s most flamboyant culinary figures. His books contain recipes that range from the solidly brilliant to the outrageously wacky, along with a set of recipes for the poor which, it must