The Frugal Gourment On Our Immigrant Ancestors/Jeff Smith 1990

Russian Beef Stroganoff
Servings Prep. Time Cooking Time Calories % from Fat Fat Sodium Carbohydrates Protein Cholesterol
4-6 N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A


INGREDIENTS:
1 recipe Russian Kasha 2 pounds tenderloin, top sirloin, or other fine steak, cut into thin strips 2 large yellow onions, peeled and chopped
4 tablespoons olive oil or butter (The latter is traditional and preferred.) salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste 1/2 pound mushrooms, sliced (Russia, particularly southern Russia, is famed for its variety of readily)
GARNISH: parsley or, preferably, fresh dill pickled fancy mushrooms-somewhat like the Pacific Northwest. This dish is best made with morels, chanterelles, oyster mushrooms or any other delicate mushroom. Button mushrooms will do, as will dried fancy mushrooms.) 1/4-1/2 cup sour cream



1 The preparation of this dish is almost like Chinese stir-fry. Everything happens very quickly, so have plates and all the ingredients ready to go! Cook the kasha first, according to the directions (use raw egg-it really makes the kasha taste better). Keep the kasha warm in a covered pot. Slice the tenderloin into thin strips and have ready a large skillet (or even a wok!)
2 Brown the tenderloin strips in the skillet or wok over fairly high heat (not as high as in wok cooking, because you are using butter or olive oil). The steak may have to be cooked in two batches to avoid getting too wet and overcooked. In a separate pot or large skillet, brown the onion in the remaining olive oil or butter (traditional), salt, and pepper until the onion is slightly clear but not soggy.
3 When the tenderloin strips are nearly finished, add the mushrooms to the onion and cook briefly until heated but not soggy. Set aside the cooked tenderloin and cover for a moment to keep warm. With the heat on low, slowly add dollops of sour cream to the onion-mushroom mixture until a thick, creamy mix is achieved. Watch the heat to avoid curdling the sour cream. The sour cream should be heated just long enough to warm it. Pour any beef juices from the beef skillet or work into the mixture and stir to a creamy consistency.
4 Serve immediately on a plate in three separate piles, beef, kasha, and mushroom-onion sauce for diners to mix or eat separately. Add more salt and pepper, if desired. Garnish with parsley or dill. An alternative to frying the tenderloin is to broil the beef whole, the slice before serving.

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