Beef Stroganoff

In the 1950's, Beef Stroganoff was considered a truly gourmet dish. Though it is often thought to be a dish from this decade, recipes for Beef Stroganoff were appearing in American cookbooks decades earlier. The dish is said to be named for a noted Russian gourmet, Count Paul Stroganoff, who was a dignitary at the court of Tsar Alexander III and a member of the Imperial Academy of Arts in St. Petersburg. There is not much information to say whether he himself invented the dish, or whether his chef did. I am betting his chef should get the credit, but I could not find his name to give it to him. A recipe for the dish appeared in the 1943 edition of The Joy of Cooking, but because of beef shortages due to the World War II, few cooks could afford to make the traditional dish. Once the war ended and beef became readily available again, the dish's popularity soared. Most cooks used canned mushrooms, since they were more available to the home cook. Indeed, fresh mushrooms did not become widely available in grocery stores until the 1960's, especially if you did not live in a major city.

I love the flavors of Beef Stroganoff, as does my entire family. Most "gourmet" recipes call for using filet mignion for the beef part. Of course filet is incredibly tender, but it is also incredibly expensive. I usually use the less expensive cut of sirloin. The sirloin is still very tender and tasty and I have never had anybody notice the difference. Because a few of my children are not big on mushrooms, I sometimes cook them separately or leave them out altogether.


Beef Stroganoff
1 1/2 pound sirloin or filet mignion, cut into thin, 2-inch strips
salt and pepper
1 large yellow onion, peeled and very thinly sliced
3 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons flour
2 teaspoons olive oil
1 cup beef broth
3 teaspoons Dijon mustard
2 cups thinly sliced mushrooms (optional)
1/2 cup sour cream
Minced parsley for garnishing
1 package egg noodles, cooked according to package directions and drained

Sprinkle beef strips with liberal amount of salt and pepper. Add onions to beef and toss well. Let marinate together, covered at room temperature for an hour. Melt 2 tablespoons butter in large skillet over medium heat, and whisk in flour. Stir constantly and cook a minute or two. Slowly add beef broth and continue stirring until mixture is bubbly and thickens, about 5 minutes. Stir in Dijon mustard and remove from heat. In another large skillet, melt remaining 1 tablespoon butter and 2 teaspoons olive oil. Add beef and onions and sliced mushrooms and cook until well browned, about 10 minutes. Add beef mixture to sauce and simmer over very low heat for 10-15 minutes. Taste for seasoning, adding more salt and pepper if necessary. Remove skillet from heat and just before serving, stir in sour cream. Serve with cooked egg noodles, sprinkling with minced parsley.
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This is reminiscent of the 1960's casseroles---some of which are still my favorites.

Stroganoff Casserole
1 1/2 pounds lean ground beef
1 large onion, minced
1 clove garlic, minced
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
1 (8-ounce) can tomato sauce
1 cup ricotta cheese
8 ounces cream cheese, softened
1/2 pound medium egg noodles, cooked and drained
salt and pepper to taste
3/4 cup sharp cheddar cheese, shredded

Preheat oven to 350-degrees. Spray a 3-quart casserole dish with non-stick spray. Cook ground beef and onion in large skillet until beef is cooked through. Drain well, then return to skillet. Add garlic and Italian seasoning and cook another minute. Add tomato sauce, ricotta, cream cheese, cooked noodles, salt and pepper. Pour mixture into casserole and sprinkle with cheddar cheese. Bake uncovered about 30 minutes.
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This is a recipe that the actress Natalie Wood used to prepare for her Hollywood friends. This was published in a 1961 edition of The Ladies' Home Journal.

Hamburger Stroganoff
3 tablespoons butter
2 pounds ground beef round
1 teaspoons seasoned salt
1 teaspoon garlic salt
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 medium yellow onion, peeled and chopped
1/2 medium green bell pepper, cored, seeded and chopped
10 medium mushrooms, wiped clean and thinly sliced
2 ribs celery, trimmed and chopped
1 1/2 cups canned crushed tomatoes
1 cup sour cream
1/2 pound wild rice, cooked according to package directions

Melt butter in large heavy skillet over moderate heat, add ground round, seasoned salt, garlic salt, salt and pepper. Cook until well-browned, about 10 minutes. Add onion, green pepper, mushrooms, and celery and cook, stirring occasionally, until onion is limp and golden, about 5 minutes. Mix in tomatoes, adjust heat so mixture bubbles gently. Cover and simmer 20 minutes. Stir in sour cream---do not boil. Taste for salt and pepper and adjust if needed. Serve over wild rice.

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This is a great recipe that comes from Sara Moulton's show "Sara's Secrets" on Food Network. This is her mom's recipe that she remembered eating growing up.

Beef Stroganoff with Meatballs
1 pound ground chuck
1 medium onion, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus extra, for seasoning
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus extra, for seasoning
1/2 cup fresh bread crumbs
2 large egg yolks
1 cup water
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 pound cultivated white mushrooms, thinly sliced
1/2 cup dry sherry
2 cups chicken stock, preferably homemade
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill
1/2 cup sour cream

Combine the chuck, half of the chopped onion, the garlic, salt, pepper, bread crumbs, egg yolks, and 1/2 cup of water in a large bowl. Mix well and form meatballs that measure about 1-inch in diameter. Heat the oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the meatballs and cook, shaking and turning, until well browned, about 5 minutes. Don't crowd the pan; work in batches, if necessary. Transfer to paper towels to drain.

Pour off any excess fat from the skillet, leaving 3 tablespoons in the pan and add the remaining onion. Cook, stirring often, until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the mushrooms and cook, stirring, until the liquid they give off has evaporated, 7 to 10 minutes. Pour in the sherry, increase the heat to high, and boil until almost all the liquid they give off has evaporated. Pour in the stock and bring to a boil.

Rub the butter with the flour in a small bowl until it forms a smooth paste. Pinch off pea-sized pieces and add little by little to the boiling sauce, whisking constantly for 3 minutes. Add the meatballs, stir in the dill, and sour cream, season with salt and pepper, and cook over low heat until the meatballs are just heated through. Serve hot.

Adlen Robinson is an award winning freelance writer. Besides her popular food columns, she also writes the column "Home Matters," where she shares with readers about her life with husband Paul and their four children. She welcomes reader tips, suggestions and comments.

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