How to make mushroom stroganoff – recipe | Felicity Cloake's Masterclass

An age-old Russian favourite, rich and full of flavour, in nine easy steps

Stroganoff is a richly savoury dish of sautéed beef in soured cream named after a 19th-century count (though no one seems quite sure exactly which one). But it was only as recently as the 20th century that this age-old Russian favourite was gussied up with onions and mushrooms. Here, it has evolved again to eschew the meat altogether – and you may be surprised how little you miss it.

Prep 15 min Cook 40 min Serves 4

15g dried porcini 2 large onions 50g butter Salt and black pepper Freshly grated nutmeg , or ground allspice 300g white or chestnut button mushrooms 4 field mushrooms 250ml soured cream, preferably śmietana (see step 7) 1 tbsp Polish sarepska, or English mustard A squeeze of lemon (optional) Chopped chives or dill, to finish

1 A note on the fat

Don’t be tempted to reduce the amount of butter in this dish – stroganoff should never be low-fat – but do feel free to substitute a plant-based alternative, or a good rapeseed or olive oil and a plant-based creme fraiche, though you may also need to add a spritz of lemon juice to taste at the end.

2 Prep the veg

Put the dried porcini in a heatproof bowl, pour over 200ml just-boiled water and leave to soak while you get everything else ready. Peel and thinly slice the onions. Put a wide frying pan on a medium-low heat, add half (25g) the butter and leave to melt.

3 Fry the onions

Fry the onions, along with a pinch of salt and a good grating of nutmeg or allspice, in the melted butter, stirring regularly to ensure they don’t burn, until soft, golden and sweet. Meanwhile, briefly rinse the button mushrooms, if necessary, or brush any dirt off them. If they’re small, leave them whole, and cut into halves or quarters if large.