Del-icious!: Bistro classics no. 4

What this should really be called is 'getting the classics mixed up'. For some reason, I decided through my own misguided judgement that stroganoff contained no less than a hefty dose of paprika. Of course, I was getting myself fairly muddled with goulash, a previously explored bistro classic with as much as 2 tbsp of the red stuff. Searching through sites such as Wikipedia, I found little evidence to support my mistake, yet it still felt right to me and I'm going to include it in the recipe anyway as it added a spicy, red element.

Stroganoff originally hails from Russia, a dish of prime beef strips quickly fried and coated with a sauce of onions, mushrooms, wine and sour cream. Sometimes it is served with noodles, as mine was, but more often it comes alongside a serving of crisp, fried potato straws, which soak up the sauce and become soft. I have seen several variations on this classic, including the use of pickled gherkins as a garnish, (no doubt to cut across the richness), the Brazilians use shrimp or chicken in their version and also add tomatoes, which give it a sharp tang also good to contrast with the creaminess and I have seen recipes for versions using cheaper cuts of meat that need to be cooked for a long time. Oh, and some crazy people add a little paprika.

If you like the contrast of slightly bitter and tangy wine, tempered with sour cream and a hit of spice, then stroganoff is for you. Here is a link to a more traditional recipe than mine. (I forego the wine in lieu of beef stock).

Recipe : Beef Stroganoff

1 large strip loin or tenderloin steak (Fillet or sirloin in UK)

1 tbsp oil and 1 tbsp butter

1 onion, peeled and finely diced

6 mushrooms, finely sliced

a few asparagus stalks, snapped of their woody ends and sliced (optional)

2 tbsp paprika

1/2 cup sour cream

1/2 tsp beef stock concentrate or 1/2 a beef stock cube

a few dashes Worcestershire sauce

1 tsp Dijon mustard

salt and freshly ground pepper

Cut the beef steak in thin slices across the grain. (Freezing for 20 minutes first will make this easier).

Heat the oil and butter in a frying pan over high heat and sear the steak until fairly browned. Remove and drain on paper towels.

Add a little more oil if necessary, reheat the pan and add the onions and mushrooms. Fry together, stirring constantly, until browned and softened. Add the asparagus and paprika and stir well. Fry for 1 or 2 minutes.

Add the sour cream, stock, Worcestershire sauce and mustard and reduce the heat to low - medium. Let the mixture gently simmer for a few minutes to allow the flavours to develop and mingle.

Return the beef to the pan and stir through the sauce. Taste and season with salt and pepper, stir well and allow to cook for a few minutes to ensure the steak is warmed through, but don't overcook as the steak should be tender.