say what?

As I’ve gotten older, I feel like there are weird little pockets of personality within me & I have no idea where the hell they came from. I didn’t grow up eating meatloaf, chicken pot pies, or beef stroganoff (for example) – but as an adult I love the hell out of them. Perhaps I’m a middle-aged MidWestern woman from another life, trapped in my weird-ass, sassy, Southern-lady body. Who Knows.

flavor MVPs

I always feel like Guy Fieri when I say that — HAHAHA

Adding Herbs de Provence, Dijon mustard & a packet of Onion Soup Mix are my secret ingredients. Each ingredient brings an earthy depth of flavor to this dish rather than it being what you’d expect : oniony, salty or overly-beefy (if that makes any sense at all)

Herbs de WHAT? – Herbs de Provence is suchhhh a delectable jar of frenchy-goodness. “Originated in the Provence region in the South of France, so it is most commonly associated with French cuisine” – well, shit. I’m well aware that Beef Stroganoff isn’t French, in the damn slightest. But I’ll tell you what, a few shakes of Herbs de Provence really elevates the hell out of this “old classic favorite” by leaps & bounds! “Herbs de Provence is the name used for the mixture of spices most commonly found in the Provence region of South France ; consisting of equal parts of : oregano, savory, marjoram, rosemary, and lavender” – LAVENDER? Yup. Its tasty too! Lavender is such an unassuming herb that people think of it only for tea & soap – think again! ((if you read my NYE blog you’ll know exactly what I’m talking about here! #BottomsUP)) The addition of Lavender mixed with the buttery onions & tender beef completely transforms any idea you had before about Beef Stroganoff!

I also like to use stewed beef cubes rather than ground beef just to give it a bigger bite & a richer feeling – and the beef cubes don’t get cooked to death or have an abundance of grease like ground beef tends to have sometimes.

((If you read my Coconut Beef Curry entry, you’ll already know that one of the great secrets to searing beef in a skillet without it shriveling or shrinking up & getting tough is to let it reach room temp! – the addition of making a “slurry” of oil, meat marinade / tenderizer & cornstarch is what makes sauces rich & creamy! – or in this case, the gravy of your Beef Stroganoff!))

Instructions, 1

In a large bowl, whisk together the cornstarch, canola oil & marinade – stir in the beef to coat well, sprinkle S+P & garlic powder – stir well, cover with plastic wrap & set aside, out of the fridge, to reach room temperature for 30 minutes.

Set the pot of water to high heat so it will hopefully be boiling by the time your onions are caramelized!

Slice the vidalia onion & mushrooms – chop up the fresh thyme – set everyone aside.

Sear the beef cubes for 2 minutes on each side on medium-high heat with canola oil in a pan – only flip them once! – YES, I realize they won’t be fully cooked but if you’re a psycho that enjoys tough, burnt meat, then do it for 3 minutes per side, shit.

Remove the beef cubes from the skillet, put them in a bowl & cover with tin foil – set aside.

Turn the heat down to medium & add the 1 pat of butter – swirl the butter around in the pan to melt it & add the sliced onions – season with S+P & garlic powder – sweat the onions down for about 5 minutes.

((Chris doesn’t like mushrooms – WOMP WOMP – so I’m super nice & sauté them separately for myself so he doesn’t have to fish them out – that’s why the extra TBS of butter & thyme come into play – if YOUR man actually likes mushrooms, then still use the extra pat of butter & thyme, just use it all in the same pan – GOT IT?))

After the onions are soft & translucent, add in the other 1 pat of butter, turn up the heat a bit & add in the mushrooms – everything should be smelling hella good by now!

Soften the mushrooms for a minute or two, adding in the fresh thyme & stirring away.