russian stroganoff

recipe and description adapted from Eric Stanway

It is believed that stroganoff was created for and named after Russian diplomat Count Pavel Stroganov.  There are many stories about it's origin, including that the count was stationed in Siberia where it was so cold that the meat was frozen and had to be shaved, hence the use of shaved meat for the dish.  Or that he had lost his teeth and couldn't eat chunks of meat.  It is also thought that because the cook was french he used a beef fricassee to influence a dish that would fit russian tastes.  The dish was submitted by the cook, Charles Briere, to L'Art Culinaire in 1891 and won first prize.  The dish was then adopted by the Chinese but without sour cream.  Americans found the dish in China and brought it home in the early 1900s, but added Worcestershire sauce and mushrooms.  It became most popular in America in the 1950s when rationing ended.  In America it is eaten with egg noodles while in Russia it is eaten with fried shoestring potatoes.  It is a comfort food in both America and Russia.

1 lb steak slices (I used Steak-eze which can be found at Costco)
1/2 onion, chopped
1T butter
1 lb mushrooms, sliced
1-2 T Worcestershire sauce
1 t dry mustard
1 t sugar
2 T water
1/2-3/4 c good white wine (less or more, depending on taste; I used a vidal blanc because our good neighbors gave us one)
1 c beef or chicken stock or broth
black pepper
salt
1 c sour cream

Brown steak strips and saute onions in butter.  When mostly cooked, add mushrooms and saute still slightly browned.  (Drain off grease if needed.)   Add Worcestershire sauce.  Make a paste with mustard, sugar, and water, set aside.  When meat/mushrooms are slightly browned, add wine to deglaze and let simmer for a minute.  Add broth.  Add mustard paste.  (If a thicker sauce is desired, a butter/flour roux can be added.)  Season to taste with pepper and salt.  Add sour cream and reheat.  Serve over egg noodles, pasta, or shoestring potatoes.