Beef Stroganoff

Beef Stroganoff is something I hadn't made in a very long time until my husband brought it up the other day, saying I hadn't made it in probably 20 years. So I thought ... hmm ... seems like I'm not running that one into the ground, think I'll make it. It's kind of a retro thing, isn't it?

I used a more affordable cut of organic beef, "stir-fry" beef, and simmered the meat in the sauce for about 20 minutes. It probably needed two or three times that long to render it really tender, but I was in a hurry so it was a little chewy. Mr. Delightful suggested I loosen the purse strings next time and get a tender cut of beef and cook it briefly. Hmph! What a spendthrift!

But the sauce was lovely. I just sort of made it up as I went along and wrote it down in case I wanted to make it again. And I do! I seem to recall using wide egg noodles in the past, but I used fettuccine this time. How about you? Are you a Stroganoff fan? 

Beef Stroganoff

(Serves 2)

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

1/3 cup chopped onion

1/2 teaspoon salt, divided
1/2 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper, divided
2 tablespoons (1 ounce/28 grams) unsalted butter
4 ounces (113 grams) mushrooms, sliced
8 ounces (227 grams) 3x3/8-inch strips of lean "stir-fry" beef
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/4 teaspoon dried tarragon
Pinch allspice
Pinch nutmeg
1 1/2 cups (12 fluid ounces/355 ml) lower sodium beef broth, divided
6 ounces (170 grams) dried fettuccine
1 tablespoon unbleached all-purpose flour
1/2 cup (4.25 ounces/120 grams) sour cream

1 Heat olive oil in skillet, and cook onion until softened, about 5 minutes, seasoning with about 1/8 teaspoon each salt and pepper. Pour into 1-quart bowl. Add 1 tablespoon butter to skillet, and cook mushrooms until tender, about 5 minutes, seasoning with about 1/8 teaspoon each salt and pepper. Add to onions in bowl. 

2 Add 1 tablespoon butter to skillet and increase heat to medium-high. Add beef strips to hot pan and cook until well-browned, seasoning with about 1/4 teaspoon each salt and pepper and the paprika, tarragon, allspice and nutmeg. Stir in 1 1/4 cups of broth, deglazing pan. Cover and simmer over low heat for 40 minutes, or until tender.

3 After 10 minutes, in 3.5- to 4-quart pan, put 2 quarts of water, salted with about 1/2 teaspoon of salt, on to boil. When the water comes to a boil, stir in the fettuccine and cook for as long as indicated on the package.

Note: I used my gorgeous Le Creuset 3.5-quart tri-ply stainless steel saucier so I could serve it right in the pan. 

4 Meanwhile, shake together the flour and remaining 1/4 cup broth until smooth. Stir it into the beef and broth. Stir in the onions and mushrooms. Continue simmering until the fettuccine has been cooked and drained. 

5 Stir the sour cream into the beef mixture, then pour the Stroganoff into the fettuccine and toss until combined. Serve immediately.