Beef Stroganoff

Beef stroganoff is comfort food for a lot of people, but I am definitely not one of those people. I didn't grow up eating this stuff and really didn't see what all the fuss was about. That is until I tasted this version of beef stroganoff! Anna Olson does such a wonderful job bringing in some really fresh flavours and it makes all the difference. I think I'm hooked!

Beef stroganoff is a very old dish, dating back to 1891 where it first appeared in a Russian cookbook. The original recipe didn't have any onions or mushrooms in it, but the recipe evolved from its roots to the many different variations we have today. There are versions that differ slightly in many countries of the world, including the UK, USA, Australia, China and Portugal. Some countries call it by a different name, but in essence the dish comes from the original one from Russia. Ingredients:

• 2 tbsp olive oil


• 2 tbsp butter


• 1 1/2 lb beef sirloin, cut into 1/4 inch strips


• 2 tbsp all-purpose flour


• 1 cup diced onion


• 3 cups cremini mushrooms


• 2 tsp chopped fresh thyme


• 1 bay leaf


• 1 1/2 cups chicken or beef stock


• 2/3 cup sour cream (not low fat)


• salt and pepper


• 12 oz wide egg noodles


• 2 tbsp chopped fresh italian parsley

Method:

1. Heat the oil and butter in a large saute pan over medium-high heat. Toss the beef with the flour and add to the pan, cooking until browned. Remove from the pan, reduce heat to medium and then add the onion, sauteing until browned. Add the mushrooms and saute until tender, about 5 minutes. Add the reserved beef, along with the thyme, bay leaf and stock and bring up to a simmer, cooking uncovered for 10 minutes. Stir in sour cream and season to taste.


2. While stroganoff is simmering, boil the egg noodles in salted water until al dente. Drain and stir into the stroganoff after the sour cream has been added. Garnish with chopped parsley before serving.

This is a really delicious and quick meal for a week night when you are craving something warm, but still really fresh and delicious. I love the dimension the fresh thyme and cremini mushrooms add to this traditional dish!

Happy Cooking my Friends!