My late mother Ruth (Nisse) Schachter was a Holocaust refugee from Latvia. She used to make Beef Stroganoff regularly and other East European dishes. My mum was adamant that this is a quick pan-fried dish, not a stew as it often is in restaurants. Also, you must use top-notch beef like tenderloin, sirloin or New York steak. She likes to use brown mushrooms. Don’t use low-fat sour cream or yogurt; they may curdle. I serve Beef Stroganoff over noodles – it’s delicious.

1½ lb/750 g beef tenderloin
1 lb/500g mushrooms, halved
½ tsp each: Salt and freshly ground black pepper
3 tbsp vegetable oil
1 small onion, peeled, chopped
1 tbsp all-purpose flour
1 cup beef or chicken stock
1 tbsp Dijon mustard
⅓ cup sour cream or plain yogurt
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
Chopped fresh parsley

Cut beef into strips about 2 inches/5 cm long, 1 inch/2 cm wide and ¼ inch/1 cm thick. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.

Heat 1 tablespoon of oil over medium-high heat in large heavy skillet. Add mushrooms. Sprinkle with salt and pepper; cook, stirring, until browned, about 4 min. Transfer to bowl.

Add remaining 2 tablespoons of oil to skillet. Using tongs, add only enough beef to fit in single layer. Cook, in batches if necessary, turning once, until browned on both sides, about 3 min. Transfer to bowl.

Reduce heat to low. Add onion to skillet. Cook, stirring, until soft, about 2 min. Add flour. Cook, stirring and scraping up browned bits from bottom of skillet, about 1 min. Whisk in stock and mustard; cook, whisking, about 2 min. or until thickened.

In small bowl, combine sour cream and 2 tablespoons of sauce from skillet. Add to sauce in skillet; cook, stirring, until heated through, about 1 min.

Return mushrooms and beef to skillet. Stir to coat with sauce. Cook until heated through, about 1 min. Taste; add salt and pepper if necessary. Garnish with parsley. Serve with egg noodles.

Makes about 6 servings.