Beef Stroganoff - Quick Version

Mmm, great for a post-Zumba-workout day! There are two ways of cooking stroganoff - this is the 'quick-cook' method, for which you need to buy very good beef, so that it sears and cooks quickly, without becoming watery or tough. If you are using a cheaper cut, you'll need to stew it much longer - I'll try to make that version another time. Along with some simple steamed vegetables, we usually serve this with tagliatelle, but hot fresh bread or mashed potatoes would probably work delightfully. Wikipedia has just informed me that my version is completely un-authentic, and rice is the proper accompaniment. Oh well :)

Ingredients:

• 500g mushrooms
• 3-4 cloves of garlic
• 300g very good fillet or rump steak
• half a glass of white wine
• 1 tbsp sweet paprika
• 150g crème fraîche

Slice the mushrooms into 1/2-cm thick pieces, cutting parallel to the stalk to make them attractive. Fry over a medium heat until softened, then crush in the garlic and fry for a further minute. Remove from the pan. Slice the steak thinly into long pieces. Heat oil in the pan until smoking, then sear the beef pieces quickly on each side - about 10 seconds a pop if you have the pan properly hot and the beef nice and thin. Remove from the pan and rest on a plate for a minute, retaining any juices. Turn down the heat and deglaze the pan with the wine, then return the beef and mushrooms to the pan, and add the paprika and creme fraiche. Stir gently to combine and reheat - don't boil or the cream will separate. Serve over the pasta with a handful of chopped fresh parsley.