Here’s an update of my grandmother June Granger’s Beef à la Stroganoff recipe. She must have used it frequently, based on the well-worn edges of the yellowed paper with her handwriting on a prescription pad (she worked for a doctor just off of Oak Lawn Avenue in Dallas). I added fresh mushrooms — I like the sturdiness of shiitakes in this, but others will do — and subbed vermouth for the sherry because that’s what I had on hand, and it works well. (Dry white wine would be fine, too.) Finally, I blended Dijon in with sour cream at the finish. It’s an especially easy dish, because cooking in the Dutch oven means you don’t have to tend to it a lot as you would on the stovetop. Some people like this over rice, but I find it’s best over wide egg noodles. Be sure to finish with chopped parsley for a little color.
Serves 6 to 8 2 pounds beef chuck or sirloin or round steak, trimmed of excess fat and cut into thin slices (about 1/2 inch thick and 3 inches long) 1 large onion, chopped (about 2 cups) 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped 1 pound shiitake (or white or cremini) mushrooms, trimmed and sliced thick Coarse salt and ground pepper 1 ¾ cups beef or chicken broth 1/2 cup dry vermouth (or sherry) 2 tablespoons flour 1/2 cup sour cream 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Toss beef, onion, garlic and mushrooms with 1 1/2 teaspoons coarse salt and teaspoon pepper in 5-quart Dutch oven or heavy pot with a tight-fitting lid. Add broth and vermouth and bring just to a boil, then reduce to simmer, stirring for 2 minutes. Cover, transfer to oven, and cook until beef is tender, about 2 hours. In a 2-cup glass measuring cup, whisk flour with 2 tablespoons water. Ladle 1 cup cooking liquid from Dutch oven into measuring cup; whisk to combine. Pour into a small saucepan, and bring to a boil, cooking until thickened, about 1 minute. Into the Dutch oven, stir in flour mixture, then sour cream and mustard, stirring well. Serve over egg noodles; sprinkle with chopped fresh parsley, thyme or dill, if desired.
Serves 6 to 8 2 pounds beef chuck or sirloin or round steak, trimmed of excess fat and cut into thin slices (about 1/2 inch thick and 3 inches long) 1 large onion, chopped (about 2 cups) 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped 1 pound shiitake (or white or cremini) mushrooms, trimmed and sliced thick Coarse salt and ground pepper 1 ¾ cups beef or chicken broth 1/2 cup dry vermouth (or sherry) 2 tablespoons flour 1/2 cup sour cream 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Toss beef, onion, garlic and mushrooms with 1 1/2 teaspoons coarse salt and teaspoon pepper in 5-quart Dutch oven or heavy pot with a tight-fitting lid. Add broth and vermouth and bring just to a boil, then reduce to simmer, stirring for 2 minutes. Cover, transfer to oven, and cook until beef is tender, about 2 hours. In a 2-cup glass measuring cup, whisk flour with 2 tablespoons water. Ladle 1 cup cooking liquid from Dutch oven into measuring cup; whisk to combine. Pour into a small saucepan, and bring to a boil, cooking until thickened, about 1 minute. Into the Dutch oven, stir in flour mixture, then sour cream and mustard, stirring well. Serve over egg noodles; sprinkle with chopped fresh parsley, thyme or dill, if desired.