Stroganoff Recipe

Prep Time: 30 minutes  Cook Time:  30 Minutes (ish)

I had a craving for Stroganoff the other day.  It just came to me that I wasn't feeling having simply steak and potatoes.  Stroganoff has such a wonderful flavour, it is definitely one of my favourite tasting sauces (minus the mushrooms).  I threw this recipe together and it seemed to turn out quite well; Sylvia really seemed to enjoy it and has requested it again, so I take that as the highest compliment.  Here is what is needed for around 4 normal sized servings (there was enough for us, plus Olivia and some leftovers):

2 striploin steaks (or top sirloin, just a really good cut of meat)
4 strips of bacon (because bacon makes everything better), chopped
3 shallots, coarsely chopped
2 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
Mushrooms
2 cups of beef stock
couple of dashes of Worcestershire sauce
2 tbsp tomato paste
1 tbsp paprika
1 1/2 tsp flour
2 tbsp cream cheese
1/2 cup sour cream
Salt and pepper to taste
Egg noodles

Trim most of the fat from the steaks and cut into thin strips.  In a cold frying pan, toss in the chopped bacon and then warm up to a medium heat.  When the bacon starts to crisp, put the beef in the pan and cook just until the red is gone (stirring constantly), about a minute and a half.  Don't overcook the meat, that is just cruel to your mouth.  Remove the beef and bacon from the pan, but leave all of the wonderful juices in the pan.  Next, toss in the onions and cook them until they start to turn translucent, then add the garlic and cook for a little longer until the garlic starts to cook.  Add the tomato paste and cook for a further few minutes.  Add the two cups of stock and the Worcestershire sauce, paprika and mushrooms.  Reduce the heat and add in the cream cheese and let simmer for about 10 minutes, until the stock has reduced by about a third.  Add the meat back into the pan and reduce the heat to low.  Whisk the flour into the sour cream and put into the pan.  Stir constantly until the sauce has thickened.  Serve over the cooked egg noodles and enjoy.

Alternatives:

-For an even tastier dish, remove the mushrooms ;-)

-I assume, since this is a Russian dish, adding a little Vodka into the pan to de-glaze the bottom before the beef stock goes in would be good, but I think traditionally, some red wine would be poured into the pan to de-glaze

That's it for this week, enjoy

-d

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