By Cody is on day six hundred and sixty-nine of his sentence. Tomorrow is the homecoming. The kitchen has been in homecoming-prep mode all weekend — the homemade buttermilk in a quart jar in the fridge, the cornbread for Tuesday’s stuffing already baked and cubed, the chicken thawing for Tuesday’s roast.
The recipe Sunday was thirty-minute beef stroganoff, picked because the recipe was fast and because Sunday-night dinner could not be ambitious tonight. The recipe is Russian-American, with beef strips browned, mushrooms sauteed, all simmered in beef broth with a touch of Dijon, finished off the heat with sour cream, served over egg noodles.
The math: a half pound of beef sirloin tips on sale $2.99, mushrooms $1.99, an onion, beef broth, sour cream $1.49, Dijon, egg noodles $1.49. Total: about $7.96 for two dinners.
The technique is the off-the-heat sour cream stir-in. Cooking sour cream over heat causes it to break and curdle. You take the pan off the heat before stirring it in, and the sauce stays glossy and creamy.
Mama said tonight, eating, baby, tomorrow is the day. I said, I know, Mama. The clock on the kitchen wall is going on tonight. We will see her son in the morning.
The recipe is below. The trick is the off-the-heat sour cream — do not boil the sauce after adding sour cream.
30-Minute Beef Stroganoff
Prep Time: 10 minutes | Cook Time: 20 minutes | Total Time: 30 minutes | Servings: 4
Ingredients
- 1 lb beef sirloin or ribeye, thinly sliced against the grain
- 8 oz egg noodles
- 2 tablespoons olive oil or butter, divided
- 1 medium yellow onion, thinly sliced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 8 oz cremini or button mushrooms, sliced
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
- 1 cup beef broth
- 1/2 cup sour cream, room temperature
- Salt and black pepper to taste
- Fresh parsley, chopped, for garnish
Instructions
- Cook the noodles. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook egg noodles according to package directions. Drain and set aside.
- Sear the beef. Pat beef slices dry and season generously with salt and pepper. Heat 1 tablespoon oil or butter in a large skillet or Dutch oven over high heat. Add beef in a single layer and sear 1–2 minutes per side until browned. Work in batches if needed to avoid crowding. Remove beef to a plate and set aside.
- Soften the onion. Reduce heat to medium. Add remaining tablespoon of oil to the same pan. Add onion and cook, stirring occasionally, for 3–4 minutes until softened and starting to turn golden.
- Cook the mushrooms and garlic. Add mushrooms to the pan and cook for 4–5 minutes until they release their moisture and begin to brown. Stir in garlic and cook 1 minute more.
- Build the sauce. Sprinkle flour over the vegetables and stir to coat. Add Worcestershire sauce and beef broth, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Bring to a simmer and cook for 3–4 minutes until the sauce thickens slightly.
- Finish with sour cream. Reduce heat to low. Stir in sour cream until fully incorporated and smooth. Return the seared beef (and any resting juices) to the pan and stir gently to combine. Heat through for 1–2 minutes — do not boil or the sour cream may separate.
- Serve. Spoon the stroganoff over cooked egg noodles and garnish with fresh parsley.
Nutrition (per serving)
Calories: 480 | Protein: 34g | Fat: 18g | Carbs: 42g | Fiber: 2g | Sodium: 520mg