Beef Stroganoff, a classic dish of sautéed beef tenderloin served in a sauce with mushrooms and smetana (sour cream), is a staple of Russian cuisine even though the recipe was originally developed by a French chef.

The dish is named after the Stroganoff family, a wealthy and influential Russian family that lived in St. Petersburg.  The family rose to prominence in the 16th century as wealthy merchants and landowners. By the 18th and 19th centuries, they were elevated to nobility and were among the richest and most influential families in Imperial Russia.  

The dish was created in the 1870’s by their French chef, Charles Brière.  The dish featured sautéed beef in a sour cream and mushroom sauce, all traditional Russian ingredients.  However, Chef Brière added Dijon mustard, for the French touch. 

French chefs were highly sought after in aristocratic Russian households during the second half of the 19th century, as French cuisine was seen as the pinnacle of sophistication.  It is estimated that hundreds of French chefs worked in Russia during this time, especially in the homes of the wealthy and in high-end restaurants in cities like St. Petersburg and Moscow.

The Recipe

This is a great recipe for a dinner party and is fun to make in front of your guests.  Cut the meat, sauté the mushrooms, make the roux, and do “mis en place” with the rest of the ingredients ahead of time (Procedure items 1-4).  Then the dish comes together in about 20 minutes, giving you plenty of time to regale everyone with stories about the Stroganoff family and the hundreds of French chefs working in Russia in the late 19^th century.

Servings:  8

Gear:

• Large sauté pan
• Small saucepan

Ingredients

• 2 lbs. beef tenderloin
• 3 Tbsp.  olive oil
• 6 Tbsp. butter, cut into pats of 1 Tbsp. each
• 2 medium onions, finely chopped
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 oz. dried porcini mushrooms, roughly diced (You can use 1 lb. of other mushrooms, but porcini are the best choice unless you can find morels)
• 2 Tbsp. flour
• 3 cups beef broth
• 2 Tbsp. Dijon mustard
• 1-1/2 cups sour cream
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Fresh parsley, chopped (for garnish)
• Serve over egg noodles, rice, mashed  potatoes or riced cauliflower

Procedure

1. Slice the tenderloin about 1/4 inch thick (Costco sells tenderloin already sliced).  Then cut the beef into thin strips about 2 inches long. Season with salt and pepper.
2. Reconstitute the dried porcini mushrooms. Strain and dry on paper towels, reserving the liquid.  Sauté in 2 Tbsp. of butter over medium-high heat for about 5 minutes.  Alternately, sauté fresh mushrooms in 2 Tbsp of butter.  Set aside. 
3. Make roux by melting 2 Tbsp. butter in the small saucepan and then mixing the 2 Tbsp. of flour.  Stir and cook for one minute.  Set aside.
4. Do “mis en place” with all the remaining ingredients.
5. Heat 2 Tbsp. olive oil and butter over medium-high heat and, working in batches so you don’t crowd the pan, sauté the beef strips until browned, about 2 minutes. Add a little more butter and olive oil if needed.  Remove from sauté pan and set aside. 
6. In the same sauté pan, add chopped onions and cook until translucent, about three minutes.  Add minced garlic and sauteed mushrooms and cook for about two minutes more.
7. Add the beef broth and heat for two minutes. 
8. Add the roux, stirring constantly until the sauce thickens, about 5 minutes.
9. Stir in the Dijon mustard.
10. Return the beef to the sauté pan and simmer for about 5 minutes until the beef is cooked through.
11. Reduce heat to low and stir in the sour cream.  Cook until heated through but do not let it boil to prevent curdling.
12. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper.  You will probably need to add a little of both.
13. Serve the Beef Stroganoff over almost anything; egg noodles, rice, garlic mashed potatoes, or how about riced cauliflower (now available in very convenient frozen packets at Costco). Garnish with chopped fresh parsley.

ENJOY THIS DISH WITH GREAT FRIENDS!

Categories: Classic Recipes by Type

Tags: beef, dinner, food, recipe, recipes