Beef Stroganoff

The story of beef stroganoff is a mix of fact and fancy. A popular legend says the dish was created by a French chef in the employ of the Stroganov family. As the story goes, Count Stroganov had such poor teeth he could no longer eat steak. A dish of tender bits of beef in a creamy sauce fit the bill.

The original recipe did not include paprika or mushrooms, but both are a popular variation on the theme. Nor is beef the required meat, chicken is very often substitted, as are mushrooms by themselves for a vegetarian version. The sauteed meat (or chicken etc) is served over noodles, rice, potato puree, or my personal favorite, matchstick french fries.


INGREDIENTS
  • 1 red onion
  • 1 clove of garlic
  • 1 lemon
  • 2 handfuls of wild mushrooms
  • 2-3 sprigs of fresh flat-leaf parsley
  • 500 g fillet steak 
  • 1 teaspoon paprika
  • vegetable oil to coat the pan
  • 1 knob of unsalted butter
  • 1 small glass of brandy
  • 50 ml sour cream

INSTRUCTIONS
  • Peel and finely chop the onion and garlic, then finely grate the lemon zest. Clean and tear the mushrooms. Pick and finely chop the parsley.
  • Place the beef between 2 sheets of clingfilm. Bash with a rolling pin until ½ cm thick, then cut into finger-width slices.
  • Mix the paprika, lemon zest, and a pinch of sea salt and black pepper together, and use to dust the beef.
  • In a large frying pan over a medium-low heat, fry the onion and garlic in a little oil until softened. Turn up the heat and add the mushrooms and butter, sautéing until the mushrooms are golden brown, then tip onto a plate
  • Add a little oil to the pan and fry the beef for 2 minutes, turning, until browned but still pink inside. Stir in the mushroom-onion mixture, add the brandy and reduce for 1 minute or until almost disappeared.
  • Remove from the heat and stir in the cream and parsley. Delicious serve with bread and gherkins.

Shamelessly filched from: 
Thank you Jamie Oliver! :-)

Images: Unsplash, Pexels and Freepik.


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