In a comment left on a prior entry, someone asked what was my favorite thing to cook. I replied that it was a beef stroganoff recipe that I created when I was in college, and that has since undergone several major and minor variations. The commenter then mentioned that she had never heard of stroganoff before. I decided that the easiest way to tell her was to do it here.
Let's see . . . for starters, how do I describe stroganoff? I figured the smartest thing to do here would be to check a few sources, so I would be giving the right information. I checked Wikipedia and a few dictionaries, and the general consensus is that stroganoff is beef with a mushroom and sour cream sauce that is served over rice or noodles. The dish was named for a 19th-Century Russian count, Count Pavel Stroganov.
I first became acquainted with stroganoff through Hunt's Skillet Dinners. These were on the market during the 1970s. You simply browned a pound of ground beef, added the ingredients in the package, and within 30 minutes, you had a meal ready. (Sounds a lot like Hamburger Helper, right? Well, the Skillet Dinners were on the market at least a year before Hamburger Helper. Unfortunately, they disappeared sometime during the Carter administration.)
I was in college when the Skillet Dinners went off the market. I was looking for a replacement, and instead of doing the simple thing like getting the Hamburger Helper version, I decided to make my own version. This is where it's really helpful having a near-eidetic memory. I remembered seeing a few simple recipes for stroganoff, and I threw something together using common elements. The first version was the simplest. The ingredients were ground beef, mushrooms, cream of mushroom soup, water, noodles, and sour cream (plus a few assorted seasonings). My test subjects (in other words, my family) all liked it. There weren't any leftovers, anyway.
Over the years, the recipe has undergone more than a few modifications. The biggest was probably in the cooking vessel. Originally, I could make it in a large skillet. But now, it requires a Dutch oven or similarly-sized pot for cooking. (Of course, since I live alone, that usually means that for less than an hour's work, I have somewhere around six to eight meals.)
Originally, I didn't have a name for my recipe, other than just calling it stroganoff. But that changed in 1990, when I finally came up with the right name. It's now called "Seduction Stroganoff."
Yes, there is a reason I gave it that name.
Yes, it involves a girl.
NO, I'm not going to tell you anything else.
(There may be four other people on the planet who know the entire story. Trust me, there is a reason this is, and will continue to be, a closely-guarded secret.)
As I mentioned, the original version was made with ground beef. I've made fancier versions of the recipe, using round steak. I even made a version for a vegetarian friend, which used about five different types of mushrooms. I called that version "Magic Mushroom Stroganoff."
As I've said, the recipe is fairly simple. Judge for yourself:
SEDUCTION STROGANOFF
Ingredients:- 1 to 2 pounds Ground Beef
- 1 can (8 oz.) Mushrooms OR 1 pound fresh Mushrooms (or both, if you really like mushrooms)
- Red Wine (OPTIONAL)
- 1 to 2 cans (11 oz.) condensed Cream Of Mushroom Soup
- 1 to 2 cans (11 oz.) condensed Cheddar Cheese Soup
- 1 pkg. (16 oz.) Noodles
- 1 pkg. (16 oz.) Sour Cream
Directions:1. In a large Dutch oven, brown the ground beef. Drain.
1A. If using fresh mushrooms, chop into bite size chunks, and saute in the Dutch oven while draining the meat. The remaining grease from the ground beef should be enough, but you might need to add a small amount of additional oil. If you like cooking with wine, cook the mushrooms in the wine, and add desired seasonings.
2. Return the ground beef to the Dutch oven. If using canned mushrooms, add them at this point, along with whatever seasonings you prefer. (I generally use garlic and onion powder, soy sauce, and Worcestershire sauce, among others. I rarely use the same combination of seasonings twice.)
3. Add one can each of the cream of mushroom and cheddar cheese soups, along with an equal amount of water. (If you like to cook with wine, some of the water can be replaced with wine.) Stir to combine, and bring to a low boil, stirring regularly.
3A. If you're cooking for a crowd, add two cans of each soup. Add two cans of water at first, then add more if necessary. (The sauce will thicken as it cooks, so it should not be too thick at this point.)
4. Add the noodles, and a little more water if necessary. Cook for about 10 minutes, or until the noodles are cooked al dente.
5. Just before serving, stir in the sour cream.
Serves 6 to 8, with leftovers.
The nice thing about this recipe is that it can be tweaked as needed, particularly if you're making it for a large gathering. Simply add more beef/mushrooms/soups as needed.
As I said, there is a fancier version that uses round steak. It takes a little more effort, but it's good for a special occasion. Take 1 to 2 pounds of round steak, and slice into thin strips. Place in a bowl, and cover with your favorite marinade. Stir to make sure that all of the meat is well coated, and place the bowl in the refrigerator overnight to marinate.
When you're ready to cook, take the meat out of the marinade, reserving the marinade. Brown in the Dutch oven, using a small amount of oil. When the meat is browned on all sides, add the mushrooms, and saute for a few minutes. Add the soups as above, adding the marinade with the water. Continue to cook as listed above.
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Comments (1)
My mom makes this all the time. It definitely reminds me of home =] I always liked it a little more when she added pieces of leftover steak instead of ground beef.