Main dishes
Beef stroganoff
Beef stroganoff is a 19th-century Russian dish that cooks surprisingly quickly. Beef is cut into thin strips across the grain, lightly flattened and seared over high heat so it stays juicy. It's then combined with soft onions and a sour cream sauce with a touch of mustard and warmed through for just a few minutes. The cut matters: use fillet or sirloin, because shoulder would need an hour of braising. The whole dinner takes half an hour and is good enough to serve to guests with mashed or fried potatoes.
Method
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Chill the beef in the freezer for 20 minutes to make slicing easier. Cut across the grain into 1 cm slices.
Cover with cling film and flatten lightly to 5 mm thick, then cut into strips 1 cm wide and 4-5 cm long.
Thinly slice the onion and cook it in the butter over medium heat for 7-8 minutes until soft and lightly golden.
Heat the oil in a wide frying pan over high heat. Toss the beef in the flour and shake off the excess.
Sear the beef in 2-3 batches for 1.5-2 minutes each, stirring quickly, until just browned. Add to the onions.
Pour 100 ml of hot water into the pan you cooked the meat in and scrape up the browned bits.
Stir in the sour cream and mustard, then pour the sauce over the beef and onions. Season with about 1 teaspoon of salt and some pepper.
Warm through, covered, over low heat for 5 minutes without letting it boil hard, so the beef stays tender.
Tips for success
- Sear in small batches in a very hot pan, the meat should brown, not stew.
- Don't keep it simmering in the sauce for longer than 5-7 minutes or the beef turns rubbery.
- For more sauce, increase the sour cream to 250 g and the water to 150 ml.
- Adding 200 g of mushrooms fried separately is a popular home variation.
Serving and storage
Serve straight away with mashed potatoes, sautéed potatoes, buckwheat or rice. Scatter with chopped parsley and add pickles on the side.
Keep in the fridge for up to 2 days. Reheat gently with a splash of water, without boiling.
Variations
- With mushrooms: fry 200 g of sliced mushrooms with the onion until their liquid evaporates.
- Creamier: replace half the sour cream with single cream.
- Chicken: use chicken breast strips and sear for 3-4 minutes.
Calories and macros
Per serving (about 280 g):
Per 100 g: 192 kcal, P 11, F 15, C 2.9. An estimate based on average ingredient values. Your daily calories ›
