Cassie’s Ruminations

Beef Stroganoff

This is an easy and warming meal for a misty evening. Shaun’s away this weekend, so I can use a little dairy in some of my cooking if I feel like it. This Russian dish is often made with thin strips of beef, but ground beef is what I had on hand, and it works well here.

Beef Stroganoff
Serves 4

½ tbsp vegetable oil
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 lb ground beef (I use 85% lean)
1/8 tsp onion powder
½ tsp dried oregano
1/8 tsp nutmeg
¼ tsp black pepper
8-10 oz crimini or button mushrooms, sliced
4 tbsp flour
2 cups beef broth
1 cup sour cream
12 oz wide egg noodles or any other bite-sized pasta

Start a large pot of water boiling for the pasta. Add the noodles and boil them to al dente.

While the water comes to a boil and the noodles cook, heat the vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Sauté the garlic for 30 seconds or until it just starts to get golden. Add the ground beef and brown with the spices and herbs. Stir in the flour, making sure that it is completely coated in the oil. Add the mushrooms to the pan and stir to combine. Add the beef broth and stir until the mixture comes to a gentle boil. Simmer for 10 minutes to finish cooking the mushrooms and to thicken the sauce and reduce it by about one third. Turn off the heat.

Drain the pasta and transfer it to a serving dish. Stir the sour cream into the beef mixture, incorporating completely. Serve immediately over the noodles.