Meatball & mushroom stroganoff

Who doesn’t love a stroganoff? Even in Iran, due to our close proximity to Russia, we enjoy a good stroganoff. ‘Always with thin, matchstick fries,’ says my mother, as she recounts her memories from her youth in Tehran. I’ve had some really good stroganoffs in my time, from a fantastic one in St Petersburg served with mashed potato, to versions with noodles, and the British interpretation with rice. Each recipe differed wildly and came in various shades from brown and beige to neon orange. This is a simplified version of the classic, and I’ve used meatballs just because they work really well and taste fantastic in the mushroom sauce, making it very nearly as good as the traditional beef steak, served with french fries.

Ingredients

Instructions

1. Roll the minced beef into roughly 2 cm balls, to make approximately 30–32 mini meatballs.
2. Heat a dry frying pan over a high heat and, once hot, add the mushrooms and stir-fry without any oil until all their liquid has been released and evaporated.
3. Once the pan is dry again, drizzle in a couple of tablespoons of oil, add the onion and cook until softened and translucent. Add the meatballs, then gently shake the pan to avoid breaking or crushing them. Add the paprika, garlic granules and a generous amount of salt and pepper, then pour over the cream. Cook, without stirring, for a minute, then very gently stir to mix the spices evenly into the sauce.
4. Reduce the heat, cover the pan with a lid and cook over a low–medium heat for
   10-15 minutes, gently shaking the lidded pan occasionally to prevent the meatballs from sticking to the bottom.
5. Adjust the seasoning to taste and scatter with the chopped chives (if desired). Serve with crispy french fries, mashed potato, or buttered tagliatelle. This needs no accompaniment.

Persiana Everyday