The Stroganoff (or Stroganov) family reportedly made their fortune in 18th century Russia trading salt and furs, but nowadays the name
is mainly associated with the popular beef dish which bears it. The dish probably goes back to much earlier peasant fare, but is now
commonly attributed to the household of Count Pavel Stroganoff (1774-1817). Tolstoy's War and Peace paints a picture of
a Russian society of that time which was fascinated with French culture and language. The interest in all things French extended to food, with
chefs of the great households striving to create dishes in a more elegant and refined style. Beef Stroganoff probably came about
as a result of this dynamic, though the first recorded appearance of the dish in a cookbook is from 1871. By the middle of the 20th century
the dish had become popular fare in America, with variants such as turkey- or hamburger-stroganoff making their way to tables
across the land.
This version is from Lynn Visson's The Complete Russian Cookbook and is credited to Victoria Martin.
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2 lbs. sirloin, cut into strips
1/2 cup flour
1/2 tsp salt
Pepper
9 Tbsp butter
1 medium onion, chopped
1/2 lb. mushrooms, sliced
1.5 cups sour cream, at room temperature
3 Tbsp Dijon-style mustard
Combine flour, salt and pinch of pepper. Dredge meat in flour and saute quickly in 6 Tbsp. butter until well browned.
Remove from heat. Fry onion in remaining butter for 2-3 minutes. Add mushrooms and continue to saute on med-high heat
until musrooms are soft and liquid is thickened and reduced (6-8 minutes). Add to meat and simmer 5 minutes. Combine
sour cream and mustard. Add to meat mixture and simmer on low for a few minutes until heated through and blended. Do not
boil. Season to taste with salt and pepper. If sauce is too thick, thin with a few drops of milk. Serve at once with
noodles or rice.
