Beef Stroganoff

Beef Stroganoff is Russian in origin and popular worldwide. It sounds exotic, but requires very ordinary ingredients. While it is not authentic to the original 19th century version, you can also use leftover steak or roast beef for this; slice it into thin strips and stir it into the onions and mushrooms, skipping the part about browning the meat. Sprinkle with flour and go from there.

 

This is often served with rice, noodles, or thin, fried potatoes.

 

SERVES 4 TO 6

 

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons butter

1 medium onion, thinly sliced

4 ounces mushrooms; cleaned, ends trimmed, sliced

 

2 pounds sirloin steak, cut into strips approximately 2 inches long and ¼ inch thick

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

 

1 tablespoon flour

 

½ cup beef bouillon

1 tablespoon tomato paste

½ teaspoon Dijon mustard

 

½ cup sour cream

 

2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley, for garnish

 

. . . . . . . .

 

Instructions:

▪ Melt butter in a large frying pan over low heat. Cook the onions a few minutes until they are translucent. Add the mushrooms and cook for 2 minutes or so until they begin to soften.

 

▪ Sprinkle the beef with salt and pepper and add to the pan. Increase the heat to medium and cook a few minutes until the outer edges are brown and the centers of the pieces are still pink. Sprinkle the flour over the beef and stir while continuing to cook about 30 seconds. Remove the pan from heat for the next step.

 

▪ Mix together the beef bouillon, tomato paste and mustard, and add to the beef.

 

▪ Return the pan to the heat and continue cooking and stirring until the liquid starts to bubble, just before the boiling point.

 

▪ Stir in the sour cream, cover the pan, and cook on low heat around 15 minutes. Check occasionally to make sure it is not boiling or burning.

 

▪ Garnish with the parsley before serving.