How Beef Stroganoff Can Change Your Life

Beef Stroganoff was in it's heyday in the '50's but soon became relegated to school cafeterias and a box mix concoction that shall remain nameless. Enter the stroganoff that will change those misconceptions and bring you back to your stroganoff roots. Provided you have all the ingredients mis en place, this can be ready in 20 minutes!

Recipe courtesy of New York Times. Photo credit Platings+Pairings

Ingredients:

• Kosher salt and fresh ground black pepper

• 1 1/2 lbs sirloin roast, or beef tenderloin

• 2 T. all-purpose flour

• 1 1/2 t. hot paprika

• 1 T. neutral oil, such as canola or grapeseed

• 4 T. unsalted butter

• 8 oz. button mushrooms, cleaned and cut into quarters

• 2 small shallots, thinly sliced

• 12 oz. wide egg noodles

• 1/4 C. dry white wine (red wine works fine as well)

• 1/4 C. heavy cream or creme fraiche

• 1 1/2 t. Worcestershire sauce

• 1 1/2 t. Dijon mustard

• Chopped fresh parsley for garnish

Directions:

1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.

2. Cut the beef against the grain into 1/2 inch slices, pound lightly, then cut those slices into 1 inch wide strips.

3. Add the flour, paprika, 1.5 t. salt and 1.5 t. pepper to a large shallow bowl and toss to combine. Dredge the strips of meat in the flour mixture, shake them to remove excess flour, then transfer them to a rimmed baking sheet.

4. Place a large skillet over high heat and swirl in the oil. When the oil begins to shimmer, saute the beef slices, in two batches, until they are well browned on both sides but rare inside. about 3 to 4 minutes per batch. Transfer the seared meat to the baking sheet.

5. Turn the heat down slightly and add 1 T. butter to the pan. When it has melted and started to foam, add the mushrooms, tossing to coat them with the fat. Season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring frequently, until the mushrooms have released their moisture and are dark brown, about 12-15 minutes. About halfway through, add the sliced shallots and 1 T. butter. Set aside.

6. While the mushrooms cook, add the noodles to the boiling water and cook until just done, following package instructions. Drain and toss with remaining 2 T. butter. Set aside.

7. When the mushrooms and shallots are soft and caramelized, deglaze the pan with wine, scraping the bits on the pan's surface. When the wine has reduced by about half, slowly stir in the cream, then the Worcestershire and mustard. Add the meat along with any accumulated juices and stir to combine.

8. Cook, stirring occasionally until the dish is hot and the beef is medium rare, 2-3 minutes. Taste and adjust the seasonings.

9. Serve with the noodles and sprinkle with parsley. Serves 4.