BEEF & MUSHROOM STROGANOFF

Do you know how a song can evoke a particular memory, or how a specific scent can transport you straight back to a moment in the past? Well, this dish will always take me back to a certain time. It was at the end of last year shortly after my son was born. He was a few weeks old and we were so in love with our sweet newborn but completely exhausted from lack of sleep and the upheaval that comes with the territory. One afternoon, an angel in the form of one of the moms from my daughter's play school arrived at our door with a bag of rice, chocolate biscuits and a tupperware full of tasty beef stroganoff. It was a very welcome delivery at that particular time and this dish will always remind me of that day.

This is the version of stroganoff that my family loves - packed with beef and mushrooms in a delicious, creamy sauce. Let’s talk more about mushrooms - you may have noticed that in all the recipes in the #JoinTheBlendTrend series I have combined meat and mushrooms in 50/50 ratio. By doing this I have reduced the total calorie, fat and sodium (by 25%!) content of each dish relative to a meat-only dish. Mushrooms are a rich source of Umami (the fifth basic taste after sweet, salty, sour and bitter) which is a rich, savoury and meaty flavour. If you replace half of the meat with mushrooms you are not only improving the nutritional profile of your dinner but also giving it that rich, earthy flavour that Umami rich mushrooms deliver. Healthy body, happy tastebuds! 

But wait, there is more! Mushrooms are also rich in vitamins, antioxidants and potassium. By mixing mushrooms into any dish you are adding another serving of vegetables onto the plate without compromising the taste. Adding mushrooms to a meat dish is also a brilliant way of stretching the meal into more portions - we do this all the time at home.

I hope you are enjoying the #JoinTheBlendTrend series so far! Keep checking in as there will be another tasty recipe coming soon. 

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BEEF STROGANOFF

Serves 2 generously

1 tbsp butter
250g beef strips (you can use pre-cut strips or cut your own)
2 tbsp flour
olive oil
1 large onion, finely chopped
1 tsp crushed garlic
250g white mushrooms, sliced
250ml beef stock
250ml cream
salt
pepper
100g tagliatelle
small handful fresh parsley, chopped 
extra parsley for garnishing

Step 1.) Melt the butter in a deep saucepan. Add the beef strips and flour and cook for a few minutes to brown the beef. Remove from the pan and set aside. 

Step 2.) Drizzle some olive oil in the same pan and fry the onion gently over a low heat for about 5 minutes to soften. Add the garlic and mushrooms and cook gently for 10 minutes until the mushrooms have softened and are golden. 

Step 3.) Add the beef stock and cream and season with salt and pepper. Leave to simmer for 15 minutes until the sauce has thickened. 

Step 4.) While the sauce is simmering cook the tagliatelle as per the packet instructions. 

Step 5.) Stir the beef and parsley into the sauce. Check the seasoning, then remove from the heat. Pile the cooked tagliatelle onto heated plates and spoon the beef on top. Top with fresh parsley and serve immediately. 

Disclaimer: This post is sponsored by MushroomsSA. Recipe and images are my own and were created for the #JoinTheBlendTrend campaign.