I love to make concoctions for dinner. I call them real names, but I don't know if they are technically the correct names for what I make. For example, tonight I made beef stroganoff. The only thing I know for sure regarding the right to use that name is that I used beef. So at least I'm half right. And since the word stroganoff is so funny, I might even use it more often. We might end up with chicken stroganoff, veal stroganoff, cupcake stroganoff. The possibilities are endless.
Here's the recipe. You can call it what you want, but I call it:
Cindy's So-Called Beef Stroganoff
1 lb top round* cut into 1/4 inch thick matchstick sizes pieces
1 1/2 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
1 clove garlic crushed and minced
1 small onion chopped
1 container of fresh white mushrooms** sliced
3 beef bouillon cubes & 3 cups of water or 3 cups beef stock
Salt & pepper
3 Tbsp flour
1/2 cup cold water
1/2 tsp parsley
pinch of nutmeg
1/2 cup sour cream
butter
Put the beef in a large bowl and toss with the apple cider vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, salt and pepper and let it sit for about 20 minutes. Put about a Tbsp of butter in a deep pan and add the garlic. Brown the meat on medium/high in the garlic butter in batches, taking it out and keeping it warm in a separate plate. Once all the meat is done and out of the pan, lower the heat to medium and add another Tbsp of butter and the onion. Cook the onion for about 1 minute and add the mushrooms. Saute for about 2-3 minutes until you can start to smell the mushrooms.
Add the beef back to the pan along with the bouillon and water or stock. Vigorously stir the flour, nutmeg and cold water in a cup to make a thickening agent. Stir the mixture into the pan and let the whole thing cook covered on med/low for about 45 minutes. Stir occasionally.
When the 45 minutes are up, turn off the heat and whisk in the sour cream a little at a time. You may not need all of it if your sauce is thick enough already. Sprinkle some parsley on top.
I like to serve this stroganoff with buttered egg noodles and some French cut green beans (if that IS their real name.)
Hope you like it!
*Don't buy top round already cut up this way. Buy a top round roast and do it yourself. It will be MUCH cheaper and it's the same exact meat. Trust me. I worked for a butcher for 6 years. I know my meat, people.
**Also buy your mushrooms whole and cut them up yourself. They just taste better that way.
