It’s July. It’s summer. It’s Ireland so winter fare still makes a regular appearance on the menu! It is part of what we call our Sum-inter menu – if the Gods can combine seasons so can we!

So Beef Stroganoff – not exactly a summer dish but very tasty. This recipe is at least thirty five years old and has fed hordes of family and friends through the ages. While there are very few ingredients in the sauce, it is still delicious. Quick to prepare, slow cooking and the dish is done. We serve it with boiled long grain rice.

And the photograph? The pot was empty before I had a chance to snap!

Ingredients
Serves 4
1½ lbs – 2lb rib steak, cut into pieces
1 large onion, sliced
Good pinch of curry powder
1 tablespoon of flour
2-3 tablespoons tomato purée
1 pint good quality beef stock
2 tablespoons sunflower oil
2 ounces butter
2 teaspoons English mustard
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
2-3 tablespoons sour cream

Method
1. Place the beef in a bowl. Add salt, pepper, mustard and curry powder and make sure meat is coated in this mix
2. Heat the butter in a saucepan and fry the onion until soft
3. Add the flour and combine thoroughly, cooking for a few minutes
4. Add the stock in stages making sure that with each addition, it is combined with the onion-flour mix and there are no lumps
5. When coming to the boil, add in the tomato purée, salt and a generous grind of black pepper
6. Heat the oil in a frying pan and brown the meat
7. Add the meat to the sauce and simmer for c.1 hour until the meat is tender
8. Add the sour cream and cook for simmer for another 10 minutes
9. Serve with boiled long grain rice.