Name: Beef Stroganoff
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 40 min
Yield: 4
Ingredients: 800 g beef strip; 1 tbsp neutral oil; 2 tbsp butter; 1.5 pcs onion; 2 cloves garlic; 250 g fresh button mushroom; 2 tbsp tomato paste; 1 dl beef stock; 1 dl heavy cream; 1 dl crème fraîche; 2 tbsp fresh parsley

UntrainedChef

Tips from the kitchen

Brown the beef in small batches and don't crowd the pan. Pile too much in at once and the meat steams instead of searing, so you lose that crust you're after.
Give the tomato paste a full minute in the well before you stir it in. It darkens and loses the raw, tinny taste, and the whole sauce tastes deeper for it.
Add the crème fraîche off a gentle simmer, not a hard boil. It can split if the heat is too high, and you want it smooth.
The beef only needs to heat through at the end. It already has its sear, so a few minutes back in the sauce is plenty. Longer and the strips turn tough.
Slice the onion and mince the garlic while the meat rests after browning. Keeps the pan moving and the onion goes in while the fond is still on the bottom.

Ways to vary it

A splash of Dijon stirred into the sauce with the stock gives it a little tang, if that's your thing.
You can swap the button mushrooms for chestnut or a mix. The chestnut ones hold their shape a bit better.
Some people like a spoon of paprika added with the onions for color and a mild warmth. Optional, but nice in winter.

Storage & leftovers

Keeps in the fridge for up to 3 days in a sealed container. The cream sauce can freeze, but it sometimes goes a touch grainy when thawed, so eat it fresh if you can. Reheat gently on the stove over low heat, stirring now and then, and add a splash of stock or cream if it's tightened up.