Filet Mignon In Mushroom Sauce
2 servings
Ingredients
4 tablespoons butter, divided
1 teaspoon olive oil
2 beef tenderloin steaks 5-6 ounces each)
Fresh thyme sprig
1 clove garlic, cut in half
1 cup sliced fresh mushrooms or a 4oz can, drained
1 tablespoon chopped shallot
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1/8 teaspoon salt
Dash pepper
2/3 cup beef broth
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
Directions
With a meat mallet flatten the steaks between sheets of plastic wrap to ½ inch thickness.
In a medium skillet, heat 2 tablespoons butter and oil over medium-high heat; Add the thyme, garlic, and steaks. cook steaks to medium-rare, a thermometer should read 125°F, 4 minutes per side. Remove the steaks from the pan to a plate and cover with foil. Discard the garlic and thyme.
In the same pan, heat drippings and remaining butter over medium-high heat; saute mushrooms and shallot until tender. Stir in flour, salt, and pepper until blended; gradually stir in broth and Worcestershire sauce. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly; cook and stir until thickened, 1-2 minutes. Return steaks to the pan and simmer in the sauce for 2 minutes, turning them over after 1 minute.
Oven Roasted Asparagus
Serves 4
Ingredients
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 bunches asparagus
1 teaspoon lemon zest
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 garlic clove. chopped
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon black pepper
1/3 cup Italian seasoned Panko breadcrumbs
Directions
Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
Break off the woody bottoms of the asparagus and wash in cold water.
Arrange trimmed asparagus in a 13 X 9-inch dish. Drizzle with the oil and lemon juice. Sprinkle with garlic, salt, pepper, and lemon zest.
Top with breadcrumbs and bake for 20 minutes.
Twice-Baked Potatoes
2 servings
Ingredients
1 large russet potato, 12 ounces
Extra-virgin olive oil, for brushing
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup sour cream
2 tablespoons butter, at room temperature
1 slice bacon cooked and crumbled
2 tablespoons chopped chives
Directions
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Prick the potatoes all over with a fork. Brush lightly with the oil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Roast on a sheet tray covered with foil until tender, 50 minutes to 1 hour.
While still hot, slice a thin layer off the top of the potato and scoop the potato flesh into a medium bowl, leaving a 1/4-inch shell all around on the potato shell. Season the insides of the potato shell lightly with salt and pepper.
To the bowl with the potato flesh, add the sour cream and butter. Use an electric hand mixer or potato masher and mix until almost smooth. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Mound into the potato shell and bake for 15-20 minutes until hot. Sprinkle with bacon and chives. Cut in half and serve.
Easy Knockwurst and Sauerkraut
Ingredients
1 cup sauerkraut, drained
2 large beef knackwurst
¼ of a large onion, sliced
2 tablespoons butter
Directions
Melt butter in a skillet and add the knockwurst. Cook until lightly brown on all sides,Add the onion. Cook for 2-3 minutes. Spread the sauerkraut over the knockwurst. Cover the pan and simmer for 20 minutes.
Crispy Zucchini Cakes
For the zucchini:
1 1/2 pounds of zucchini (about 3 cups coarsely grated}
1 teaspoon kosher salt
For the dipping sauce:
1/2 cup sour cream (can substitute plain Greek yogurt)
1 clove garlic, minced, about 1 teaspoon
1/2 teaspoon lemon zest
1 teaspoon lemon juice
Pinch of salt
For the fritters:
1 large egg
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
3 green onions, minced
1 teaspoon minced fresh thyme
1 teaspoon minced fresh basil
1/2 teaspoon lemon zest
1 teaspoon kosher salt (more to taste)
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 cup of extra virgin olive oil or canola oil
Directions
Sprinkle grated zucchini with about 1 teaspoon of salt. Place in a sieve or colander over a bowl. Let sit for 30 minutes.
Press down with a wooden spoon to push out more of the water. Wrap the shredded zucchini in paper towels and try to squeeze out more liquid.
Make the dipping sauce:
Whisk together the sour cream, minced garlic, lemon zest, lemon juice, and a pinch of salt into a medium bowl and set aside.
Make the fritter batter:
Whisk the egg in a large bowl. Add the grated zucchini, flour, minced green onions, thyme, basil, lemon zest, salt, and pepper. Mix to combine well.
Heat the oil in a large skillet or a 10-inch cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat until the oil is shimmery and hot. Test the oil by flicking a little flour into it. If the flour sizzles, it’s ready.
Working in batches, drop ¼ cup of the batter into the skillet. Flatten slightly with the back end of a spoon or spatula. Cook, turning once, until browned, 4-6 minutes on each side.
Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate. Sprinkle with salt. Repeat with the remaining batter.. Serve with the dipping sauce.
This recipe uses some of the leftovers from the post-Rainy Day Pot Roast Dinner.
Ingredients
4 cups chopped leftover pot roast
2 cups leftover brown pot roast gravy
3 leftover cooked carrots, diced
10 oz. package frozen peas
1 large baking potato, peeled and cubed.
1 medium onion, chopped
One store-bought 9-inch pie crust pastry
Directions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Coat a deep 10-inch casserole dish with cooking spray.
Add all the ingredients except the pastry to the casserole. Mix well. Transfer the dish to the oven and bake for 30 minutes.
Turn the oven up to 400 degrees F. Unroll the pastry.
Remove the casserole from the oven and lay the pastry on top of the beef mixture.
Return the casserole to the oven and bake for 20-25 minutes until the crust is golden brown. Let rest 10 minutes before serving.
Simple Pot Roast
You will have leftovers and if you like pot pies save 4 cups of diced meat,2 cups of gravy, and 3 carrots for later in the week. Recipe next week.
Ingredients
One (4-5pound) boneless beef chuck roast, tied
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Olive oil
1 onion, sliced
2 large garlic cloves, grated
4 cups beef broth
1 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning
¼ cup Instant flour {Wondra}
Directions
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.
Pat the beef dry with a paper towel. Season the roast all over with salt & pepper.
In a large Dutch oven, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil over medium heat. Add the roast and sear on all sides of the meat until browned.
Aff the onion, garlic, Italian seasoning, and beef broth. Bring the liquid to a boil. Cover the pot and. place it in the oven for 3 hours or until fork-tender.
Remove the roast to a platter and cover with foil. Remove ½ cup of the beef broth and mix thoroughly with the flour. Stir the mixture back into the pot and cook until thickened. Add salt and pepper if needed. Slice the roast and serve with the gravy.
Oven Roasted Carrots
Ingredients
1 bunch fresh organic carrots about 6
2 tablespoon butter
Slat and pepper
Foil
Directions
Cut the ends off the carrots and wash well. Dry.
Place a large sheet of foil on a sheet pan.
Place the carrots close together in a single layer on top of the foil.
Sprinkle with salt and pepper and dot with the butter.
Seal the foil on top and on the edges. Place the pan in the oven with the pot roast for the last hour of cooking the pot roast.
Serve with the roast and potatoes.
Garlic and Olive Oil Mashed Potatoes
Ingredients
6 large baking potatoes (about 4 pounds), peeled and diced
7 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 garlic cloves, peeled
Salt and pepper
Directions
Place potatoes and garlic in a heavy large pot. Cover with cold salte4d water. Boil over medium-high heat until potatoes are tender when pierced with a fork, about 40 minutes.
Drain. Return potatoes to the dry pot. Stir over medium heat until any excess liquid evaporates. Add the olive oil and mash until smooth. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve with the roast.
America is a melting pot that was formed by the hard-working people who migrated here from lands as far east as China and Japan, as far north as Russia and Europe. They utilized American supplies and prepared them in ways that they had prepared them in their homeland.
True American food is a collection of these culinary traditions passed down from generation to generation”.Each culture brought its cooking methods, food, and spices to America. They farmed the soil, hunted game, and incorporated their ways into the food of America.
The Reuben sandwich is a grilled sandwich composed of corned beef, Swiss cheese, sauerkraut, and Russian dressing, grilled between slices of rye bread. It is associated with kosher-style delicatessens, but it is not kosher, because it combines meat and cheese. However, the Jewish delis are famous for serving this sandwich.
One story about the origin of this sandwich reports that Reuben Kulakofsky (his first name sometimes spelled Reubin; his last name sometimes shortened to Kay), a Jewish Lithuanian-born grocer residing in Omaha, Nebraska, asked for a sandwich made of corned beef and pastrami at his weekly poker game held in the Blackstone Hotel sometime around 1920.
The hotel’s owner, Charles Schimmel, and his son, who worked in the kitchen, made the sandwich for him, adding swiss cheese and thousand islands dressing, and put the whole thing on rye bread. The sandwich gained local fame when Schimmel put it on Blackstone’s lunch menu, and its fame spread when a former employee of the hotel won the national sandwich idea contest with the recipe. In Omaha, March 14 was proclaimed Reuben Sandwich Day.
Another account says that Reuben’s creator was Arnold Reuben, the German-Jewish owner of Reuben’s Delicatessen (1908–2001) in New York City. According to an interview with The New York Tines’ Craig Claiborne, Arnold Reuben created the “Reuben Special” around 1914.
Bernard Sobel in his 1953 book, Broadway Heartbeat: Memoirs of a Press Agent, states that the sandwich was a spur-of-the-moment creation for Marjorie Rambeau when the famed Broadway actress visited the Reuben’s Delicatessen one night when the cupboards were particularly bare.
Still, other versions give credit to Alfred Scheuing, a chef at Reuben’s Delicatessen, and say he created the sandwich for Reuben’s son, Arnold Jr., in the 1930s.
Corned Beef
Though it’s not known precisely where corned beef was invented, its ties to Ireland run deep. One of the earliest recorded references to the meat product was a Gaelic poem of the 12th century, and the country was the top producer of salt-cured beef for many years. It most likely came about when people began preserving meat through salt-curing. Evidence of its legacy is apparent in numerous cultures, including ancient Europe and the Middle East. The word corn derives from Old English and refers to the coarse, granular salts used to cure the beef
The industrial production of corned beef started in the British Industrial Revolution. Irish corned beef was used and traded extensively from the 17th century to the mid-19th century for British civilian consumption and as provisions for the British naval fleets and North American armies due to its nonperishable nature. The product was also traded to the French, who used it in their colonies in the Caribbean as sustenance for both the colonists and enslaved laborers.
The Original Reuben Sandwich
From Saveur Magazine
Ingredients
3 tbsp. sauerkraut, well drained
3 tbsp. Thousand Island dressing
2 slices dark rye bread
Unsalted butter softened
4 thin slices of Emmenthaler Swiss cheese
4 slices Jewish-style corned beef, or more to taste
Optional for serving: kosher dill pickle, potato chips, radishes
Instructions
In a small bowl, mix the sauerkraut with the Thousand Island dressing. Set aside.
Spread one side of each bread slice generously with softened butter. Place 1 slice on a clean work surface with the unbuttered side facing up. Top it with two slices of cheese, the corned beef, the sauerkraut, and then the remaining cheese. Top with the remaining bread slice, buttered side up.
Heat a small skillet, griddle, or grill pan to medium-high. Melt a thin layer of butter in the skillet, or brush the grill pan with melted butter. Once hot but not yet smoking, transfer the sandwich into the pan and cook, pressing down occasionally with a spatula and flipping as needed, until the bread is browned evenly on both sides and the cheese is fully melted, about 5 minutes per side.
Transfer to a plate, slice in half, and serve immediately. Garnish the plate with the pickle, potato chips, and radishes if desired.
My Version Of The Reuben Sandwich
2 Sandwiches
Ingredients
2 tablespoons deli mustard
2 slices of rye bread, lightly toasted
½ lb cooked corned beef, sliced thin, warmed in the microwave
4 oz sauerkraut. warmed in the microwave
4 slices Swiss cheese
1/4 cup Russian dressing
Dill Pickles
Directions
Preheat the oven’s broiler to low, and move the oven rack to the highest position.
Cover a small baking pan with aluminum foil.
Place the toasted bread on the pan and spread it with deli mustard.
Distribute the corned beef slices evenly on top of the bread.
Spread the dressing over the meat and then spread the sauerkraut over the dressing.
Top each sandwich with 2 slices of swiss cheese.
Place the sandwiches under the broiler until the cheese melts about 2-3 minutes.
Serve with dill pickles fries or onion rings.
Enchilada Sauce
1 teaspoon garlic powder
3 tablespoons chili powder
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon salt
4 oz container chopped green chilies
2 tablespoons Instant flour
2 cups chicken broth (low sodium)
1 (15-ounce) can tomato sauce or finely chopped tomatoes (low sodium)
1 teaspoon agave syrup or honey
Enchilada Filling
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 cup finely chopped onion
2 lbs lean ground beef (sirloin or round)
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup corn
1 cup jarred salsa
8 flour tortillas (8-inch)
3 cups shredded cheddar cheese
For the sauce:
Combine all the ingredients for the sauce in a medium saucepan. Whisk until smooth.
Bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 5 minutes
For the filling:
Heat oil in a large skillet. Add onion and cook until softened, about 3 minutes. Add garlic and cook, stirring, another minute. Add the ground beef and salt. Turn the heat to medium-high, break the beef up, and cook until all pink is gone from the meat. Stir in the corn and salsa and cook until all liquid has evaporated for about 15 minutes. Remove the skillet from the heat and let cool slightly. Stir in 1 cup of enchilada sauce into the beef mixture.
Preheat the oven to 375ºF. Oil a 9 ×13-inch glass baking dish.
To make the enchiladas:
Place the tortillas on kitchen towels or wax paper.
Spoon 2 cups of sauce into the prepared baking dish and spread it out on the bottom. Divide the filling evenly among the 8 tortillas. Roll up each tortilla tightly and place seam-side-down into the baking dish. Pour remaining sauce over all and sprinkle with cheese. Spray one side of a sheet of foil large enough to cover the baking den with cooking spray. Place the sprayed side down over the casserole.
Place enchiladas into the oven and bake15 minutes. Remove the foil and return the baking dish to the oven and bake for 18 more minutes until the cheese is completely melted and the sauce is bubbling.
Remove the dish from the oven, let it cool for 5 minutes before serving.
Flank Steak Roulade
Ingredients
1½-2pound flank steak
1 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
1 teaspoon black pepper, divided
2 jarred roasted red peppers, diced
1 medium green zucchini, shredded
1 cup shredded mozzarella
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
1 garlic clove, grated
2 tablespoons olive oil
Directions
Preheat oven to 400°F.
Squeeze zucchini in a kitchen towel to rid it of excess liquid.
Combine the zucchini, roasted red peppers, and mozzarella in a mixing bowl. Add the Italian seasoning and garlic.
Butterfly the flank steak.Season with half the salt and pepper.
Spread the vegetable mixture evenly over the seasoned flank steak.
Roll the flank steak and tie with butcher twine. Season the outside of the roulade with the remaining salt and pepper.
Heat a large ovenproof saute pan over high heat until very hot. Add oil and sear all of the sides of the roulade until golden brown.
Place the pan in the oven and cook until the internal temperature reaches 120°F for medium-rare (approximately 18-20 minutes). Let the roulade rest for 20 minutes after removing it from the oven and the residual heat will raise the temperature of the meat to 125-130°F.
Slice and remove twine before serving.
Roasted Beet Ane Pear Salad
Ingredients
2 large beets, scrubbed clean with a vegetable brush
A small drizzle of olive oil, for roasting the beets
1 ripe red pear, chopped into ½ inch pieces
¼ cup walnuts, toasted
¼ cup blue cheese, crumbled (or more)
A few handfuls of salad greens of your choice
Dressing
2 tablespoons oil
1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
1 teaspoon of honey
Sea salt and fresh black pepper
Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Roast the beets by drizzling them with a bit of olive oil, some salt, and pepper, and wrapping them in foil. Depending on the size and freshness of your beets, they should take from 40 minutes to 1 hour to roast in the oven. Check occasionally, when they are fork-tender they are done. Set them aside to cool. As soon as they’re cool enough to touch, run them under the faucet and slide off the skins with your hands. Chop into roughly ½ inch cubes and set them aside to cool completely. (To save time, I suggest doing this up to one day ahead of time and popping them in the fridge until you’re ready to assemble the salad).
Assemble all salad ingredients on a plate and mix with the dressing.
Green Beans with Dill Vinaigrette
Ingredients
2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill
1 pound green beans
Directions
Stir together the vinegar, mustard, and salt in a small bowl until the ingredients are combined and the salt has dissolved. Whisking constantly, slowly pour in the oil and continue to whisk until emulsified. Gently stir in chopped dill and set aside.
Steam green beans until tender. Drain. Arrange green beans in a serving dish and season with a little bit of salt. Pour the dill dressing over the green beans. Mix well and leave at room temperature until serving time.
PanSeared Filet Mignon and Crabmeat Stuffed Lobster Tails
For the steak
2 Filet Mignons, 1 inch thick
1 tablespoon steak seasoning
2 tablespoons butter
For the lobster
2 frozen lobster tails, 5 ounces each
1/2 cup dry white wine
Lemon wedges
Crabmeat Stuffing:
2 tablespoons butter, salted
2 tablespoons minced onion
1/4 teaspoon minced garlic
1/2 cup panko crumbs
1/2 cup jumbo lump crabmeat, picked over for shells and cartilage
Pinch salt
Freshly ground white pepper, to taste
1/4 teaspoon lemon zest
2 teaspoons olive oil
Directions
Thaw lobster 1 to 2 days in the refrigerator or place in a clean bowl under cool running water until completely thawed.
To make stuffing:
Melt butter in a small saucepan or saute pan. Add onion and garlic and cook until onion is translucent. Do not brown. Fold in panko, crabmeat, salt, white pepper, lemon zest, and olive oil.
Heat oven to 450 degrees F.
Split top side of lobster shell down the center with scissors, keeping tail fan intact. Pull shell open; lift tail meat, leaving it attached at the end, and lay over top of the shell, “piggyback” style. Make a cut down the center of the meat 1/4-inch deep. Season with salt and pepper.
Pour wine into a small baking dish. Place lobster tails in the dish. Spoon stuffing over top of the meat. Bake 10 to 12 minutes in the center of the oven, until the meat, turns from translucent to opaque (white).
Remove from the oven and drizzle pan juices lightly over the lobster. Serve with lemon wedges
To cook the steaks
Season the steaks with steak seasoning, rubbing the spices into the steaks. Let rest until room temperature.
Heat a small ovenproof skillet and add the butter.
Sear filets for 2 minutes on each side, until you see a golden-brown crust form.
Place the full skillet with filets onto the center oven rack to finish cooking. Place the skillet in the oven at the same time you put the lobster in the oven.
The best temperature for a filet mignon is, generally, medium-rare, which will give them a slight pinkness in the center. To cook to this temperature, your steaks should read 130-degrees with a meat thermometer before removing them from the oven. Shoot for 120-degrees for rare and 140-degrees for medium. After they’ve finished cooking, place the steaks on a plate and cover loosely with foil for about 10 minutes to rest.
Twice-Baked Potatoes
Directions
1 large russet potato (about 10 to 12 ounces each)
Extra-virgin olive oil, for brushing
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup sour cream
2 tablespoons heavy cream
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 scallion, minced
Paprika, for sprinkling
Directions
Bake the potato early in the day. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Prick the potatoes all over with a fork. Brush lightly with the oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Roast on a sheet tray until tender, 50 minutes to 1 hour. Cool enough to handle.
Slice the potatoes lengthwise and scoop the potato flesh into a medium bowl, leaving a 1/4-inch shell all around. Season the insides of the potato shells lightly with salt and pepper. To the bowl with the potato, add the sour cream, half-and-half, and butter and mix until almost smooth. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Stir in the scallion. Mound into the potato shells. Place on a baking sheet. Refrigerate if not baking right away,
Remove from the refrigerator about 30 minutes before baking. Place in the oven at the same temperature set for the steak and lobster ten minutes before the steak and lobster.
Bake until heated through, about 20 minutes. Sprinkle with paprika and serve.
Spinach Salad with Cherries, Walnuts And Blue Cheese
Spinach Salad
¼ small red onion, sliced thinly and soaked in water for 10 minutes, and drained.
8 cups clean spinach leaves
½ cup dried cherries
¾ cup crumbled blue cheese
¾ cup roughly chopped toasted walnuts
Vinaigrette Dressing
3 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon sherry vinegar
salt and pepper to taste
Salad
Pre-heat oven to 350F
Spread walnuts on a baking sheet and place in the oven for 6 minutes. Stir around and roast for another 3-4 minutes ensuring they don’t overcook. Let cool. This step can be done earlier in the day.
Combine the spinach, onion, and cherries n a large bowl and toss to combine.
Vinaigrette Dressing
Combine all ingredients and whisk to combine.
Taste and add salt and pepper until it’s to your liking.
Add dressing to salad and toss to coat, gently add the cheese and walnuts and serve.
Porterhouse Steak
Ingredients
1 Porterhouse or T-Bone Steak, 1-inch thick. at room temperature
Steak seasoning
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
Mushroom Blue Cheese Sauce, recipe follows
Directions
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
Heat a large ovenproof skillet over high heat for 5 minutes.
Coat both sides of the steak with steak seasoning. I use Montreal. When the pan is hot, add the steak and sear evenly for about 2 minutes per side.
Remove the pan from the heat and top with the butter, then place the pan in the oven. Cook the steak for 8 to 10 minutes to 120 degrees for rare and 125 degrees for medium-rare. Remove the steaks to a platter, cover tightly with aluminum foil, and allow to rest for 5 to 10 minutes. Remove the bone and thinly slice the steak. Pour the mushroom sauce over the steak and serve.
I like to serve this steak recipe with baked potatoes and sauteed spinach.
Mushroom Blue Cheese Sauce
Ingredients
4 oz can of sliced mushrooms, drained
1 large shallot finely diced
1 teaspoon butter
Pinch of black pepper
1 tablespoon of crumbled blue cheese
1 tablespoon sour cream
1 tablespoon chopped chives
Directions
Melt the butter in a small skillet. Add the shallot, mushrooms, and pepper. Cook over low heat for 5 minutes. Stir in the cheese, sour cream, and chives and cook until warm.
America is a melting pot that was formed by the hard-working people who migrated here from lands as far east as China and Japan, as far north as Russia and Europe. They utilized American supplies and prepared them in ways that they had prepared them in their homeland.
True American food is a collection of these culinary traditions passed down from generation to generation”.Each culture brought its cooking methods, food, and spices to America. They farmed the soil, hunted game, and incorporated their ways into the food of America.
Stroganoff (or Stroganov) is a simple and comforting Russian dish consisting of sauteed pieces of beef served in a sour cream sauce. It dates back to the mid 19th century and is named for a member of the Stroganov family, who were a group of highly successful Russian merchants and landowners in Tsarist Russia. The first known recipe is found in a mid-1800s Russian cookbook. 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 novel paints a picture of 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.
After the fall of Tsarist Russia, the dish found popularity in China. Then, during WWII, Russian and Chinese immigrants, as well as US servicemen, brought the dish to the US. The first English language recipe for Beef Stroganoff appeared in a cookbook in 1932, but its popularity didn’t blossom until after World War II. Servicemen who’d served overseas were open to new tastes and flavors. Some went on to become the food editors, writers, and chefs who redefined American cuisine. At the same time, families moved to the suburbs, and dinner parties became more fashionable than ever. Beef Stroganoff, luxurious yet easy to prepare, became a signature dish with countless hostesses, and a headline entrée in upscale restaurants. New York’s Russian Tea Room, founded by former members of the Imperial Ballet, was famous for this dish.
In the 50s and 60s, Stroganoff saw quite a bit of popularity in the US, but overtime its image was marred by canned cream of mushroom soup and poor cuts of meat that were poured over noodles or rice and served in cafeterias. Unfortunately, it was this cafeteria version that everyone in the States came to associate with the name. Beef Stroganoff is so much more than the 50s and 60s made it out to be. Authentic Russian Beef Stroganoff combines tender beef and flavorful mushrooms in a creamy sauce for an elegant, yet quick dish.
The best beef to use in beef stroganoff is a cut that works well with quick-cooking. That means you need something that is tender in its own rights, such as beef tenderloin or ribeye steak. The important thing is to cut the steak into thin slices by cutting across the grain. This shortens the fibers of the meat, making it more tender with less cooking.
In Russia, you will most often find traditional beef stroganoff served over fried shoestring potatoes (French fries). It can also be found served over mashed potatoes or rice. Here in the States, egg noodles are the most common accompaniment to beef stroganoff.
TRADITIONAL BEEF STROGANOFF
Ingredients
2 tablespoons salted butter
8 oz button mushrooms, sliced
1 onion, thinly sliced
1 lb beef tenderloin, sliced thinly, against the grain
2 tablespoons instant Wondra flour or all-purpose
1 cup beef broth
½ teaspoon ground mustard seed
1 tablespoon tomato paste
½ cup sour cream
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
8 oz egg noodles, cooked
Directions
In a large skillet, heat the butter. Add the beef to the saute pan. Cook until lightly browned, 2 minutes. Add the onion and mushrooms, cook until the mushrooms are tender. Stir the flour into the beef broth and mix well.
Add the beef broth, salt, pepper, mustard powder, and tomato paste to the saute pan scraping the bottom of the pan to pick up any stuck bits.
Simmer the mixture over medium heat for 10 minutes.
Place the sour cream into a small bowl and mix a little of the broth from the skillet with the sour cream to warm it. Pour the warmed sour cream mixture into the saucepan and mix to combine. Warm over very low heat,
Adjust the seasoning to taste.
Serve the stroganoff over the cooked noodles.
