Mon, 28 September 2026
Beef Stroganoff
This is proper comfort food — tender beef, rich paprika sauce, mushrooms, a little mustard and those lovely sharp cornichons cutting through the richness. Keep the steak cooking quick and hot, and let the sauce do the heavy lifting.
Ingredients
● 1 tbsp light olive oil
● 1 large onion, finely sliced
● 3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
● 1 beef stock cube
● 2 tsp sweet smoked paprika
● 1 tbsp tomato purée
● 400g tin beef consommé, or 400g beef stock
● 150g chestnut mushrooms, thinly sliced
● 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
● 2 rump steaks, about 175g each, trimmed of visible fat
● Olive oil spray
● 60g cornichons or small gherkins, sliced
● 75ml half-fat crème fraîche
● 2 tbsp finely chopped flat-leaf parsley and chervil
● 2 tbsp dried onion flakes or crispy fried onions
● Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
To serve
● 160g basmati rice, freshly cooked
Method
1. Start with the onions. Get a large frying pan over a low to medium heat and add the olive oil. Tip in the sliced onion, season with a little salt and let it cook away gently for about 10 minutes. You want it soft, golden and just starting to caramelise — this is where the flavour starts.
2. Build the flavour. Add the garlic and cook for another 2 minutes. Crumble in the beef stock cube, then add the smoked paprika and tomato purée. Give everything a good stir and cook for another couple of minutes. You want those spices and the tomato purée to really wake up.
3. Make the sauce. Pour in the beef consommé, add the mushrooms and stir through the Dijon mustard. Bring everything up to the boil, then turn the heat down and let it simmer for 10–15 minutes. You’re looking for the sauce to reduce by roughly half and become lovely and concentrated.
4. Get the beef ready. Place the steaks between two sheets of cling film and gently bash them out until they’re about 5mm thick. Give each side six sprays of olive oil and season well with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
5. Get the pan seriously hot. Place a griddle pan over a high heat and let it get properly smoking hot. Add the steaks and cook for just 1 minute on each side. That’s all they need. Take them off the heat and let them rest while you finish the sauce.
6. Finish the stroganoff. Once your sauce has reduced nicely, take the pan off the heat. Stir through the sliced cornichons, crème fraîche and most of the fresh herbs, keeping a little back for finishing.
Don’t waste those lovely juices from the resting steak — pour them straight into the sauce. Have a taste and adjust the seasoning if needed.
Slice the beef into nice thick strips and fold it through the sauce. Give it just enough time to warm through; you don’t want to overcook that beef.
7. Finish and serve. Mix the crispy dried onion flakes with the remaining chopped parsley. Spoon the stroganoff onto warm plates and finish generously with that crunchy onion and herb mixture.
Serve with freshly cooked basmati rice on the side and tuck in. Proper hearty food, full of flavour, and absolutely perfect for a midweek dinner.
Chef’s tip: Don’t rush the onions and don’t overcook the steak. Those two little details make a big difference to the finished dish.
