For the Stroganoff:

• 450g/1lb tail end beef fillet, cut into long strips

• 2 tsp sweet paprika
• 2 tbsp vegetable oil
• 30g/1oz butter
• 2 shallots, finely chopped
• 115g/4oz button mushrooms, sliced
• 1 tsp tomato pur?e
• 50ml/2fl oz white wine vinegar
• 75ml/2?fl oz white wine
• 200ml/7fl oz double cream
• 115g/4oz dill pickle, julienned
• 125ml/4floz sour cream
• 1 tbsp flat leaf parsley, finely chopped
• 1 pinch sweet paprika

For the pilaff rice:

• 50g/2oz butter

• 50g/2oz onion, chopped
• 250g/9oz long-grain rice
• 500ml/18floz hot chicken stock
• 1 bay leaf
• salt and freshly ground black pepper

Cooking method:

1. For the rice, preheat the oven to 200C/400F/Gas 6.
2. Heat an ovenproof saut? pan until hot, add half the butter and the onion and cook gently for a few minutes until softened but not coloured.
3. Add the rice and stir well then fry gently for another minute, again without colouring, and add the hot stock, seasoning and bay leaf.
4. Bring to the boil, stirring with a wooden spoon, then cover with buttered greaseproof paper and a lid and place in the oven. Cook for 15 minutes until the rice is cooked but still firm.
5. Remove the bay leaf, add the last of the butter and separate the grains of rice with a fork. Season with salt and freshly ground pepper then transfer to a clean warmed serving dish and keep covered with a clean piece of greaseproof paper until ready to serve.
6. Meanwhile, make the stroganoff. Sprinkle the beef strips with the paprika and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
7. Heat a large frying pan with the vegetable oil. Quickly flash-fry the beef strips, making sure you keep them as rare as possible, then tip the meat into a colander, reserving any juices that drain off.
8. Using the same pan, add the butter, shallots and sliced mushrooms and cook for one minute.
9. Add the tomato pur?e and cook for few more minutes, stirring the ingredients together. Add the white wine vinegar and cook until completely evaporated.
10. Add the white wine and cook until reduced by half then pour in the double cream, bring to a boil, and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
11. Add the seared beef and the reserved juice and gently warm through, taking care not to boil or you will overcook the beef.
12. To serve, pour the stroganoff into a large warmed serving dish and sprinkle with dill pickle. Drizzle the sour cream over the top then sprinkle with chopped parsley and dust with paprika. Serve with the rice along side.

Recipe courtesy of: Luther Maitland, CASA

Source: USMEF