Beef Stroganov

When my husband and I first started dating, we often went out for meals and a few drinks (a lot of drinks) definitely my fondest moments in life - sitting in a restaurant enjoying a nice meal and talking for hours about life. I remember thinking at the time if it was because the relationship was new, and we were both making an effort at making US work, nothing has changed though other than my chain of thought. We are one of the lucky ones, where little effort is needed to make it work, even when we argue, if you can call it that, we end up giggling and smiling at each other.......... Anyway back to the recipe. On this particular occasion my husband, Glen, opted for a fish dish (due to my fish bone phobia, I never eat fish when we are out) I had beef stroganov served with spatzle, I guess I made this recipe to try and recreate that night. We've had lots of good times together some just stick out for different reasons I guess. I found this one in a cookbook my mother gave me, Country Cooking. When I first opened it, I assumed country as in rural, not country as in country. It covers mostly Europe and North America and gives a small piece of information pertaining to each one. It really is a nice book and I've used several of the recipes, some of them are a little obscure, I suppose that's because they're foreign to me, but I love the fact each recipe comes with the proper name (translation underneath) and original spelling!!!!!

Beef Stroganov

500 grams beef strips, sliced

2 onions sliced

100 grams mushrooms, thinly sliced

lemon juice

70 grams butter

100 ml  sour cream

150 ml stock

1 tbsp brandy

1 ½ tbsp flour

1 tbsp parsley

1 tbsp tomato purée

½ tsp pepper

1 tsp salt

½ tsp mustard

1. Cut the meat into strips, mix the flour with salt mustard and pepper. Gently fry the onions in the butter. Add the mushrooms fry for 2-3 minutes; then remove from the heat.

2. Dip the meat strips in the flour and shake off any extra. Cook the meat in butter then add the onions and mushrooms with their pan juices. Fry on a low heat for 5 minutes, stirring.

3. Pour in the brandy, set alight, then add the tomato puree. Add the stock, bring to a boil, then add the lemon and the cream, cover and simmer gently for 15 minutes. Bring back to a boil and serve.

Servings: 4

Liver And Bacon With Onion Sauce

This is probably one of my husbands favourites, and I make it about once a month, for that reason. I've altered the original recipe, so that I can eat it too, liver is one of my least favourite things to eat, but I am of the opinion, that if Glen can eat, and does eat things that I like and he doesn't, then I can make the effort to cook and eat things, that he does very much enjoy.

Before I made this recipe, I read somewhere that marinating the liver, before hand, in milk, was meant to lessen that really intense flavour, I don't know for sure if it works because I have done it from the very beginning and therefore have nothing to compare it to.

I make a stroganov out of mine, I stick to the original recipe for the most part but I add mushrooms (we both love mushrooms) and cream, which is totally dependant on the type of cream I have to hand, normal single cream, sour cream, creme fraiche, I'm not overly fussed. I also use bisto gravy granules, instead of beef stock and flour to thicken it! Not entirely a short cut because I prefer the flavour but I have to admit, it's easier than using flour as the thickening agent. Sometimes depending on my mood I will add a glug of port, it entirely depends on who I am cooking it for though!


Liver And Bacon With Onion Sauce

2 tbsps extra virgin olive oil
1 large onion thinly sliced
4 slices of bacon cut into thin strips
500g liver, marinated in milk over night
2 tbsps flour
2 1/2 cups beef stock
1 tbsp tomato puree
Dash of worcestershire sauce
salt and pepper to taste


1. Heat the oil, add the onions and bacon to the pan, cooking gently,stirring now and again until the onion is glassy and the bacon has crisped. Add the liver and cook stirring for 2 minutes, remove with a slotted spoon cover with tin foil to keep warm.

2. Add the flour to the pan and cook stirring for 1 minute, slowly pour in the stock, stirring constantly, bring to a boil, keep stirring until it has thickened.

3. Add the puree and worcestershire sauce, season with salt and pepper, then return the onions, liver and bacon, then cover and simmer for 5 minutes.

(this is also where I would add about 100ml single cream)

I normally serve this with Garlic mashed potatoes, but pasta, rice or boiled potatoes are equally as good.