I am always ready for the seasons to change from summer to fall. Ready for cooler temps and my homey repertoire that ushers in hearty, comfort foods.
I’m sure everyone has their version of this classic. Cream of Mushroom soup was a staple in my home growing up, but in this case, my mom made a white sauce, which appeared regularly as a base of many of her dishes.
If you are not familiar with this recipe, it begins with a white sauce, or Béchamel, one of the 5 “mother” or basic sauces of French cuisine. By the way, the others are: Véloute, Hollandaise, Espagnole (Brown) and Tomato. These are called mother because they are the head of their own unique family. Each mother sauce consists of a liquid (milk, stock, clarified butter or tomato), plus a thickening agent (a roux or egg yolks). Mother sauces are then made into a variety of small sauces by adding a myriad of ingredients to the bases. A béchamel consists of a roux (made with butter and flour) and milk. This base sauce can be used to make cream soups, and anything “creamed” (i.e. onions, spinach, pasta) or as a savory filling for lasagna, gratins, and casseroles. It’s a really solid core technique to know.
The key to making a proper béchamel is the proportions of the ingredients. Below are the proportions to make 3 cups of sauce (4 tablespoons butter, 1/4 cup all-purpose flour, 3 cups milk). If you want to make more or less, just add or reduce the exact amounts. If you use the proper proportions, it will be exactly the thickness you will want. You can use whole milk (which for me provides a preferred flavor and richness) or reduced fat (2%). The thickness comes from the roux, not the milk.
Chef Charlie’s Beef Stroganoff
4 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1-pound New York or Ribeye steak, thinly sliced across the grain
1 medium onion, thinly sliced
8 ounces brown crimini mushrooms, rinsed, trimmed and cut into quarters
1/4 cup dry vermouth (or dry white wine)
3 cups prepared béchamel sauce (recipe below)
1/2 cup sour cream, or to taste
1/4 cup minced Italian flat-leaf parsley
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
8 ounces wide egg noodles, prepared according to package instructions
For the Béchamel Sauce (makes approximately 3 cups):
4 tablespoons butter
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
3 cups milk
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
For the Béchamel (White Sauce):
• Melt the butter in a heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium heat until the butter is frothy. Whisk in the flour and cook, stirring constantly, until the paste cooks and bubbles a bit, but don’t let it brown – about 3 minutes. Cooking the flour removes the raw, pasty flavor of the flour.
• Add 1/2 cup of the milk and whisk to combine. The mixture will thicken rapidly, but continue to add the milk gradually until it is all incorporated. Continue to whisk until the sauce thickens. Thickening happens when the heated milk is absorbed by the flour particles and they “bloom” or grow and cause thickening. Season with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper. Set aside.
For the Stroganoff:
• In a large, deep skillet or stockpot, heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add 1/3 of the sliced beef, and brown on all sides, about 2 minutes. Remove the beef from the pan and repeat in 2 more batches. Remove last batch and set all beef aside.
• Add the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil to the pan. Add the onion, and sauté for 2 minutes. Add the mushrooms and sauté until they begin to release their juices, 3 minutes more. Add the vermouth (or white wine), and deglaze, scrapping with a wooden spatula to release the browned bits from the base of the pan.
• Add the prepared béchamel sauce and sour cream. Reduce heat to medium, and simmer until the sauce has thickened, about 5 minutes.
• Add the beef and mushroom mixture, and fold to incorporate; simmer for 5 minutes more. Season to taste with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper and stir in the minced parsley.
• Serve over the prepared noodles.
Serves 4 – 6
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