A classic stroganoff is made with button mushrooms, but in this case shitake mushrooms add a delicious depth of flavour. Serves 6 people and only takes 30 minutes.

Ingredients

• 650g fillet steak strips
• 150g shitake mushrooms, destalked and finely sliced
• 2 thinly sliced onions
• 426ml soured cream
• 3 tablespoons cognac
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• 50g Butter
• 250g chestnut mushrooms finely sliced
• Pinch paprika
• Juice 1/2 lemon

Method

1. Using a large, heavy bottomed saucepan on a high heat, add 3 tablespoons of the oil and when it’s nice and hot put half the meat into the pan. Quickly stir-fry until the meat is lightly browned on the outside but still pink in the middle. Remove to a separate bowl and do the same with the other half of the meat.
2. Remove the second batch of cooked meat together with it’s juices, bring the heat down and melt the butter in the saucepan. Then gently fry the onions until soft.
3. Add in the mushrooms and fry them quickly with the onions until tender. Then put the meat in with it’s juices and pour over the cognac. Carefully set the pan alight, shaking the contents of the pan until the alcohol has burnt away. Now stir in the soured cream and as it becomes hot, mix in the lemon juice. Season to taste with the salt and pepper and sprinkle over a little paprika.
4. Serve immediately with white rice and chopped parsley.

Recipe taken from Waitrose.com

Here’s a great winter favourite from a very under rated cut of meat that often goes unnoticed. Traditionally classed as offal the oxtail has a fine flavour and a variety of uses:

Ingredients

• 1¼ kg oxtail , jointed
• 4 tbsp plain flour
• 2-3 tbsp olive oil
• 1 large carrot , roughly chopped
• 1 turnip, roughly chopped
• 1 celery stalk, roughly chopped
• 1 large onion , roughly chopped
• 1 bay leaf
• a few sprigs thyme
• 1 tsp black peppercorns
• 2 tsp tomato purée
• 300ml red wine
• 1.2l beef stock
• 2 tbsp butter , softened
• a handful flat-leaf parsley,  leaves chopped

Method

1. Take the oxtail pieces trim excess fat . In a bowl, mix 2 tbsp of  flour with salt and pepper. Take half the oil and heat until hot in a large, heavy-based pan . Take the seasoned flour and coat the oxtail pieces, shaking off the excess. Fry for 2-21/2 minutes on each side until evenly browned and remove from the pan.
2. Put the remaining oil to the pan together with the vegetables, herbs and peppercorns. Cook and soften for 4-5 minutes. Stir in tomato purée and what’s left of the seasoned flour, and add a little more oil if necessary. Keep stirring for another minute or two.
3. Add the red wine and taking a wooden spoon, scrape the base of the pan . Bring to the boil for several minutes. Put the oxtail back in the pan and cover with the stock. Simmer and skim off any residue that rises to the surface. Partially cover the pan and cook slowly for about 3 hours until the oxtail is very tender and comes away from the bone easily. Take a pair of kitchen tongs and carefully move the oxtail pieces into a large bowl and leave for a while to cool slightly.
4. Taking a fine sieve strain the cooking stock  into a clean pan, pushing down on the vegetables with the back of a heavy spoon to release as much liquid as possible. Remove the meat from the oxtail and shred it into small pieces. Thicken the stock by mixing the remaining two tablespoons of flour with the butter, then whisk into the stock as it simmers, a little at a time. Simmer for a further five minutes. Taste the soup and adjust the seasoning to your liking, then add the shredded oxtail to the pan to warm through. Garnish with loads of chopped parsley before serving.

Recipe from Olive Magazine 2009

This gorgeous dish will serve 4 – 6 people and take 10 minutes to prepare
Cooking time:

• For those who like it rare rare – 20 minutes per 450g/1lb plus 20 minutes
• A more medium finish – 25 minutes per 450g/1lb plus 25 minutes
• And finally well done- 30 minutes per 450g (1lb) plus 30 minutes

To make the gravy sauce:

500ml/18floz good quality, hot beef stock
15ml/1tbsp gravy granules
Pinch dark brown sugar
A dash of Worcestershire Sauce

Recipe is courtesy of The Recipe Club