Monday, April 21, 2008

Mushroom Stroganoff with Spinach


This is one of the first dishes that I more or less figured out on my own and knew that I had an actual keeper; not a "well that wasn't too bad, I think I'll keep making that in the hopes that it will get better", but a "wow, that was good and other people say so too!" I even started making it back when I was vegan and using tofu sour cream (a fine product; I recommend it if you're non-dairy). It's almost healthy enough here to be an everyday meal, though we normally save it for a special occasion. We added some yellow pepper, which was fine but superfluous, and some frozen spinach (frozen cause, you know, it f***in' snowed this morning). I didn't mind the spinach, but Julie found it overpowering, so maybe skip it or wait until things actually grow. The basic recipe is very simple and can be easily modified to suit your tastes and inspirations.

In a large skillet, over medium heat, saute one diced onion in a mixture of butter and olive oil until translucent. Add two or three cloves of garlic, diced and cook until they begin to color, then add two to three cups sliced mushrooms. The type of mushrooms is up to you, but more flavorful is better. I would recommend a mix of brown mushrooms. Turn the heat up slightly and add more oil if necessary to allow the mushrooms to brown. Once the mushrooms have seared, add 1 tablespoon soy sauce and cook until absorbed. Add approximately 1/4 cup red wine and reduce slightly, then add 8 oz sour cream and stir until the sauce comes together. Taste the sauce and season with salt and pepper (I would be slightly aggressive with the pepper here). If you are adding spinach, I would do so at this point and just allow it to wilt. Serve over egg noodles or the pasta of your choice.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

I am enjoying your blog and all the great recipes. I am a vegetarian and we are always looking for new things to try.

JULIE (CT, USA)