Beef Stroganoff

When I was a teenager my good friend, Jenny Bierbaum's mother, Dolores would make the best beef stroganoff. I have tried and tried to replicate her dish.  This recipe is the closest I have come to a great beef stroganoff. 


Beef Stroganoff

Serves: 6

1 pound cubed serloin steak
1 pound sliced fresh baby portabella mushrooms
1/2 cup finely chopped onions
1 bay leaf
1 clove minced garlic
1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes
1 tsp. ground mustard
1 tsp. thyme leaves
1 tsp. parsley leaves
6 tablespoon butter
2 tsp. olive oil
2 tablespoons all purpose  flour
3 tablespoons dry sherry or beef broth
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice (1/2 a lemon squeezed)
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon salt
1 8-ounce can beef broth (or you can make your own with the new jellied beef stock and water)
1/2 cup cottage cheese
1/2 cup Gruyere cheese
1 package egg noodles
Prepare skillet with 1 Tbs. butter and 1 tsp. olive oil.  Pat dry the beef and place in a bowl. Mix together in a small bowl the four, dry mustard, thyme, red pepper flakes, pinch of salt and black pepper.  Add four to beef and mix until all is coated.  Add floured seasoned beef to the hot skillet. Let beef sit without stiring for a minute or two making sure it is browned before turning.  Brown on all sides and then remove to a bowl.  Add to the same skillet another tab of butter and tsp. of oil.  Add copped onion and saute 4-5 minutes.  Add mushrooms, bay leaf, garlic, lemon juice.  Stir often until softened. Add beef broth.  Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer 15 mintues, stiring occasionally.  Cook noodles in salted water according to directions (usually 8 minutes at boiling). In the food processor combine cottage cheese and Gruyere cheese until creamy.  Stir in cheese mixture to beef mixture and cook until heated through, but do not boil. Remove noodles from the pan and place in a large bowl.  Add butter and parsley to the noodles and mix until butter is melted.  Serve noodles with sauce on top.


Traditionally I believe this dish is served with sour cream (and I love sour cream), however I did not have any in the refrigerator and because we needed to use up the cottage cheese and Gruyere cheese we did have in the refrigerator I combined the two in the food processor.  This was no mistake! I am convinced it was meant to be as it turned out amazingly good! You will love it!