Stroganoff is a traditional dish of classic Russian cookery that has been in various forms in Europe since the 18th century. 

The name Stroganoff refers to a family of wealthy merchants from Novgorod who set up trading with Europe, one of the families had a French cook who might have given his master’s name to one of his creations.  The dish is prepared with tender meat, mushrooms, and sour cream.

Ingredients:  6 servings

600 g. tenderloin (beef fillet), cut into 5 cm. pieces across the grain, and then cut into thin matchsticks

1½ tablespoons all purpose flour

3 tablespoons butter

3 tablespoons vegetable oil

2 tablespoons brandy

200 g. button mushrooms, sliced

½ cup finely chopped onions

2 garlic cloves, crushed

¼ cup dry white wine

⅓ cup concentrated beef stock

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

¾ cup sour cream

1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

2 teaspoon sweet paprika

Dash of cayenne

Salt if needed and freshly ground white pepper.

For decoration

1 tablespoon finely chopped parsley

2 teaspoons sour cream1. Season meat with half the paprika, salt, and white pepper and leave to marinate for 10 minutes.  Sprinkle meat with the flour.

2. Place a pan over medium heat and add half the butter and half the oil, when hot, raise heat to high and sauté beef in two batches until brown on the outside but still pink inside. 

3. Pour the brandy and ignite, when the flame subsides, remove meat to a plate and keep warm, deglaze pan with 2 tablespoons water scraping the bottom and pour the sauce over the meat.

4. Meanwhile, in a clean pan, stir-fry mushrooms over high heat in one tablespoon oil, in two batches, season and set aside.

5. In a clean pan, heat the rest of the oil and butter and fry onions over medium heat till tender, add garlic and fry a little more. 

6. Add white wine and let simmer till wine evaporates, add the beef stock, mustard, sour cream, Worcestershire sauce, the rest of the paprika, and cayenne and bring to boiling point. 

7. Add meat and mushrooms, season and simmer for few seconds.   

8. Place Stroganoff in a serving plate, sprinkle with chopped parsley, drizzle with sour cream, and serve hot with Tagliatelle.

To reduce calories: 

Do not use butter in step 2.  Do not use butter in step 5.  Use low fat sour cream or low fat cream but mix with 1 teaspoon cornflour mixed with 1 teaspoon water, add to pan in with the sour cream and stir when bringing to the boil.