Beef Stroganoff 

Beef stroganoff is a delicious second course of Russian origin made with beef cut into pieces and cooked together with onion, well wilted, and button mushrooms. The peculiarity of Stroganoff is the addition of sour cream at the end of cooking, which binds the flavors together and combines well with all the ingredients. There are two legends around the origin of this dish: some report that it was first prepared by a French chef, personal chef of the Russian count Pavel Stroganoff, who added sour cream to the classic beef fricassee to make it closer to the count's tastes. The dish was successful and was named after the Count, in his honor according to a tradition of the time. Others report that Stroganoff was the name of the doctor who cured Tsarina Maria's herring poisoning with a diet of beef, onions, and sour cream. Beef stroganoff is a full-bodied and flavorful dish that is ideal for a hearty meal...

INGREDIENTS

White onions 500 g

Champignon 500 g

Butter 50 g

Sour cream 80 g

Extra virgin olive oil to taste

Parsley to chop 2 Tufts

Fine salt to taste

Black pepper to taste

Vodka 45 ml

Tomato puree 50 g

Water to taste

Flour to taste

Beef pulp 1 Kg

PREPARATION

To prepare the beef stroganoff, start by slicing the onion very finely; then clean the mushrooms well and cut them into slices; Finally, cut the beef meat into strips, about 5 cm long. In a large non-stick saucepan, sauté the onion for 10 minutes with 25 g of butter, taken from the total dose: the onion must become transparent and if it dries out a lot, add a few tablespoons of water. Add the mushrooms to the pan as well  along with a couple of tablespoons of parsley and finish cooking for another 10 minutes, then season with salt and pepper. In the meantime, flour the strips of meat and cook them with a drizzle of oil and the remaining 25 gr of butter in another pan over high heat; As soon as they start to brown, blend with vodka and continue to cook. Season the meat with salt and pepper. Add the mushrooms and onions to the meat and finally the sour cream and tomato puree. Cook for a few more minutes, stirring the ingredients together with a spoon, until the cream is well blended. Beef stroganoff is ready to be served!

Tip

If you like, you can add a couple of tablespoons of mustard at the end of cooking, with the sour cream and tomato puree.

Wine experts think this Italian Barolo wine would be a match made in heaven with this dish. 

Barolo 'Bussia' 2019 – Rinaldi

The nose is rich in facets, including aromas of wild strawberry, dried flowers, balsamic hints of mentholated and orange peel. On the palate it develops harmoniously on an enveloping tannic texture. The finish is of good persistence. Fermentation is spontaneous and takes place by the action of indigenous yeasts for about 25 days in Slavonian oak vats.

Whether its grilled, stewed, roasted, meat balled, or a flame-grilled patty, look no further for wine inspiration when eating the world’s favorite red meat. "Steak" is many a food lover's favorite word, and this flavorful meat has so much potential when it comes to wine pairings. Whether you're throwing a ribeye on the grill, slow-cooking boeuf bourguignon, or whipping up your favorite meatballs, my pairing guide will show you sensational pairings for this succulent meat. The key to picking a mind-blowing pairing for grilled steaks starts with the tannins: you need a wine with a tough enough tannin base to stand up to the meat's juicy, intense grilled flavor.

Most steaks have a traditional salt and pepper seasoning, so that's where we're going to start. Think pepper and lots of it, throw in some herbaceous elements (basil, fennel, tarragon) and now you're talking. Seek out a peppery Australian Shiraz, Californian Syrah, or if you want to "parlez-vous français", get your hands on a Châteauneuf-du-Pape. This is another of my favorite dishes, the basis of which is a rich, creamy sauce oozing with flavor. There are different styles of stroganoff (using cream, sour cream, or even Greek yogurt for a lighter touch) and it's important to pair based on the richness of the dish. For a lighter stroganoff that doesn't use cream, I recommend searching for a Barolo.