By André de Mendonça
On a non-meat diet (good for health and the environment)? Or just for an easy and delicious supper.
Mushroom Stroganoff (for 2 persons)
1 medium onion
300gms closed cup Mushrooms
150 gms portobello or shiitake mushrooms (portobello are cheaper!)
½ teaspoon sweet paprika
300ml tub of soured cream
Chopped parsley
Salt and pepper
Oil
Butter
I actually quite like using three types of mushroom for this but let’s not get too complicated to start with. Go with whatever you want to – it’s your dinner!
Slice the onions into half circles and soften them over a low heat with a pinch of salt, covered, for 12 mins, stirring every 3 mins. This gets them caramelised and sweet.
Meanwhile wash (or wipe – whatever you’ve been brought up with! )and slice the mushrooms…allowing thicker slices for the portobellos or shiitakes which will make them ‘meatier’.
Stir the paprika into the onions then add the mushrooms and turn up the heat to high. Add a large knob of butter and fry until the water comes out of the mushrooms. Continue cooking on high until all the water is gone and the mushrooms are squeaky dry – around 5 minutes. If you don’t dry the mixture properly your sauce will end up thin and runny!
Season with salt and pepper then lower the heat and add 200ml of the sour cream and heat through ( you can use all 300ml if you want to but I keep the rest for smoked salmon paté – see next week’s recipe.)
Add a goodly amount of parsley for taste and a little more parsley for garnish. Adjust for seasoning and scrunching of freshly milled pepper completes the job.
Serve with boiled or pilao rice which you made whilst the onions were cooking and a glass of pinot grigio wine. Oh my! What a tasty supper!