Stroganoff was one of those dishes that seemed to be on every hotel menu throughout the 80s and 90s. It seems to have finally lost its ‘must-have title’ over the past decade but it does occasionally pop up in the odd village pub. Unfortunatley, it can often be a little disappointing which is a shame because done properly its a great dish that was well deserving of its moment in the spotlight!
Although this dish is quick and easy it still demands care and attention. If you source fantastic beef you will end up with simple dish that can be served as a real dinner party winner. Guaranteed to knock the socks off of any old classic! I served it as a nostalgic special one evening before Christmas at Tay Street and I sold out, so I guess its still a firm favourite. I’m glad to say it went down a storm with our regulars.
Give it a go and remind yourself why its such a classic. Its best to read through the recipe a few times to make sure you are ready to go and have everything to hand as it is quite a quick process – but that just makes it even more fun!
Serves 4
2 x 200g sirloin steaks trimmed and sliced into strips
250g button mushrooms evenly sliced (not too thin)
1-2 white onions, peeled and evenly finely sliced
2-3 cloves garlic, peeled, germ removed and finley sliced
2-3 heaped teaspoons smoked paprika (depending how spicy you like it)
4 mini gherkins sliced
A good handful of picked flat parsley, roughly chopped
Zest of half a lemon
Splash of brandy
2 tablespoons sour cream or natural yogurt
- In a bowl combine the beef with the paprika and a good pinch of salt and pepper and mix well.
- Heat a solid base frying pan on the full heat and carefully add a slug of oil and heat further till almost smoking.
- Carefully add the onions, mushrooms and garlic, fry till wilted and slightly coloured, remove from the pan, reheat the pan again and add a further splash of oil, once heated again add the beef in a single layer, (this may take 2 batches).
- Colour the beef on all sides and immediately pour over the brandy, you can light this with a match and wait till the flames subside before adding the all the ingredients, including the onion and mushrooms.
- Mix, bring to the boil, taste for seasoning and serve immediately.
This dish goes well with any rice dish but I sometimes like to serve it with a fragrant salad of tabouleh. Enjoy!