Beef Stroganoff - Rich and Comforting for Cool Weather

Cook’s Illustrated always comes through with the best recipes. From the March/April 2010 issue – Beef Stroganoff. Something I have looked forward to trying but waited until the weather was cooler.



The Coppola wine was acceptable...and drinkable........but the dish could have been paired with a different wine. It was OK.

Ingredients........

6 Tbsp butter
1 pound of top sirloin or tenderloin, cut thin into 1-inch wide by 2 1/2-inch long strips
1/3 cup chopped shallots (can substitute onions)
1/2 pound cremini mushrooms, sliced
Salt to taste
Pepper to taste
1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon of dry tarragon or 2 teaspoons of chopped fresh tarragon
1 cup of sour cream at room temperature

1 Melt 3 Tbsp of butter in a large skillet on medium heat. Increase the heat to high/med-high and add the strips of beef. You want to cook the beef quickly, browning on each side, so the temp needs to be high enough to brown the beef, but not so high as to burn the butter. You may need to work in batches. While cooking the beef, sprinkle with some salt and pepper. When both sides are browned, remove the beef to a bowl and set aside.

2 In the same pan, reduce the heat to medium and add the shallots. Cook the shallots for a minute or two, allowing them to soak up any meat drippings. Remove the shallots to the same bowl as the meat and set aside.

3 Same pan again, melt another 3 Tbsp of butter. Increase heat to medium high and add the mushrooms. Cook, stirring occasionally for about 4 minutes. While cooking, sprinkle the nutmeg and the tarragon on the mushrooms.

4 Reduce the heat to low and add the sour cream to the mushrooms. You may want to add a tablespoon or two of water to thin the sauce (or not). Mix in the sour cream thoroughly. Do not let it come to a simmer or boil or the sour cream will curdle. Stir in the beef and shallots. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Serve immediately over egg noodles, fettucine, potatoes, or rice. (Potatoes, rice, and gluten-free pasta are gluten-free options.)

It doesn't look as appealing as it tasted, believe me.



I will be sending this to CreamPuffs in Venice for her roundup of Magazine Monday. Surf over to visit the Creampuff and see what else is shaping up in her neck of the woods :-)

Also this fits the bill for Presto Pasta Nights...........click HERE to see other pasta dishes AND check out Rachel @ The Crispy Cook who is the host this week for PPN!