Quick Beef Stroganoff - Stewed Pears . com

40 g butter
½ onion, chopped
120 g mushrooms, sliced not too thinly so there's a bit of chew
1-2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tbsp plain flour
2 cups beef stock
2 tbsp tomato paste
1 tsp Dijon mustard (traditionally this would be the main spice, you can add another tsp or so to taste)
1 bay leaf
⅔-1 cup sour cream (start with ⅔ & add if you like a creamier texture)
salt pepper

If serving with pasta, now's a good time to put it on to boil.
Quickly sear the beef in deep saucepan until just brown. Better to undercook than overcook at this point. You may have to do this in batches. About 30 seconds. Remove from pan and set aside. You will use any juices that form.
To the same pan, add butter and onion. Cook until transparent.
Add in mushrooms and cook until they are softened and browned. Salt lightly at this point. Add garlic and cook until fragrant.
Add flour to mushroom mix and cook, stirring constantly, for a minute or more, until flour is well-incorporated and there is no flour smell.
Add a cup of the stock, stirring constantly until mixture boils and thickens.
Add remaining stock, tomato paste, mustard and bay leaf, bring to boil and lower heat.
Simmer for a minute. Add in sour cream and mix thoroughly to incorporate. Cook for another five minutes or so as sauce thickens.
Add beef back in, including any juices that have formed and simmer for another minute, until meat is warmed through.
Season. Remove bay leaf before serving with pasta, noodles, potatoes, rice. Add a crisp salad or slaw on the side if you like.