Beef Free Beef Stroganoff

With cooler weather coming on, we start looking for warming, hearty meals.  One simple meal I enjoy this time of year is Beef Stroganoff.  Inexpensive to make, filling and comforting food.  If you follow my recipes, you know that I'm really getting away from beef.  I'm not some sort of radical vegetarian, as I do eat meat and I don't strictly follow vegetarian practices, but I find beef to be harder to digest, the less I eat of it and prices are outrageous, at least to me.

As an alternative to beef in many of the foods I prepare, I've found Portobello mushrooms to be my favorite and rapidly becoming a major item on my grocery list.  The taste and texture of these beautiful mushrooms satisfies that desire for "meat" in many of my recipes and this Stroganoff is no exception!  If you like Beef Stroganoff, I really think you will love this dish!

INGREDIENTS
8 Ounces Uncooked Pasta Noodles
1 White Onion
1 3/4 Cup Beef Broth
3/4 Pound Sliced Portobello Mushrooms
3/4 Pound White Button Mushrooms
1/4 Cup Red Wine
1/4 Cup Sour Cream
1 Tablespoon Worcester Sauce
1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
3 Tablespoons All Purpose Flour
1 Tablespoon White Vinegar
2 Teaspoons Dry Parsley
1/2 Teaspoon Thyme
1/2 Teaspoon Salt
Black Pepper to taste

PREPARATION
Boil the pasta noodles, as usual, not overcooking them, as they will cook a bit more before we're finished.  Drain and set aside.  Dice the White Onion.  Cut the White Button Mushrooms in half.  Cut the slices of Portobello Mushroom into thin slices about the same size as you would beef, if you were going to use it in the Stroganoff.

Now, let's start making the Stroganoff!!!

Using a large saucepan, put in the Olive Oil and add the diced White Onion.  Put on medium high heat and saute the onions for about 3 minutes.  When the onions are soft, add the flour to the saucepan, stirring continually until well blended.  Continue cooking for a few seconds.

Slowly, add the Beef Broth, Red Wine and Worcester Sauce.  Keep stirring while the sauce thickens and bubbles.  Now, add the Portobello and White Button mushrooms, Thyme and Salt.  Stir and mixe the ingredients well and continue to cook until the mushrooms shrink in size and moisture is released from them.  Now, add the White Vinegar and reduce the heat to simmer the mix for about 4 - 5 minutes.

When ready, add the drained pasta, Sour Cream, Black Pepper, one more Tablespoon of All Purpose Flour and Parsley.  Continue to simmer for an additional 5 minutes, stirring to mix the ingredients completely.

Place the servings of Stroganoff on dinner plates and if you like, garnish with more Parsley.  Ready to serve!

If you're a real hard core vegetarian, you probably know you can find "beef free" beef broth and alternatives for non dairy sour cream.  I don't go to this extreme, but for real vegetarians, there are those options to avoid all non-vegetarian ingredients.

I hope you will give this dish a try and discover the wonderful taste and texture of the Portobello mushrooms as an alternative to using real beef.  I am sure it will be satisfying!

If you have any questions, please feel free to email me at: stan.kain@gmail.com  Likewise, you may follow my Recipe Blog on Google+ getting new recipes and updates as I add them. I try to add new recipes quite often.  And, if you enjoy the recipes, please share them on G+ and with family and friends!!!