Fillet of beef whisky stroganoff

If you looking for a carb-free comfort meal, my Fillet of beef whisky stroganoff is worth getting excited about. Wilted kale with zucchini and pine nuts are excellent served alongside.

Of course there’s nothing stopping you from serving this beef stroganoff with tagliatelle or fluffy mashed potatoes. Unfortunately, I don’t have a passed down stroganoff recipe so I’m making it up as I go, though I do recall my mum dusting tenderised beef strips in seasoned flour. I’ve use a more expensive cut, beef fillet, but it’ll change the way you make stroganoff in future. The creamy paprika whiskey sauce is quite exceptional.

In place of dusting the meat with flour, I’ve used almond meal which acts as a thickening agent. It also imparts a slightly nutty taste. A dash of whiskey adds depth of flavour, but you can substitute this with dry sherry, even brandy if you prefer. I serve it with a dollop of sour cream and a zesty parsley pesto which cuts through the richness of the sauce.

Fillet of beef whisky stroganoff
Fillet of Beef Whisky Stroganoff

Serves 4

    • 2 tablespoon olive oil
    • 3 tablespoons butter
    • 1 brown onion, finely diced
    • 1 garlic clove, minced
    • 250g button mushrooms, sliced
    • 125g shiitake or porcini mushrooms, sliced
    • several stems thyme or lemon thyme
    • zest and juice of half a lemon
    • 2 tablespoons almond meal
    • 1/2 teaspoon salt
    • 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
    • plenty freshly ground black pepper
    • 600g beef fillet, cut into strips
    • 1/4 cup (60ml) whisky
    • 1 tablespoon tomato paste
    • 2 tablespoons worcestershire sauce
    • 250ml hot water
    • 2/3 cup sour cream or crème fraîche

Lemon Parsley pesto

  • generous handful flat leaf parsley, finely chopped
  • zest and juice of half a lemon
  • 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon finely chopped roasted almonds
  • salt and black pepper, to taste
  1. Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil and the butter in a large based frying pan. Sauté the onion until soft. Add the mushrooms and cook on a high heat for several minutes until all the water has evaporated. Add the garlic, thyme leaves, lemon zest and season with salt and pepper. Stir through and cook for a further 2 minutes. Remove the mushrooms from the pan and set aside until later.
  2. Add the remaining olive oil to the same pan. Combine the almond meal, salt, paprika and black pepper in a bowl. Add the meat to the spice mix and toss to coat. Brown the meat strips in the hot oil and season lightly with sea salt. Deglaze the pan with the whiskey and reduce by two thirds. Add the tomato paste, followed by the mushrooms. Stir through the Worcestershire sauce and water. Simmer for about 10 Р12 minutes until the sauce is reduced and thickened. Fold in the cr̬me frąche, a squeeze of lemon juice and warm through.
  3. While the meat is simmering, add a drop of olive oil to a pan and wilt a generous handful of julienned courgettes, shredded kale and baby spinach. Season with salt, pepper and a squeeze of fresh lemon juice. Toss through some toasted pine nuts and serve with the stroganoff.
  4. For the lemon-parsley pesto, combine all the ingredients in bowl and serve alongside the meat, for everyone to help themselves.

For more South African dinner favourites, you may like these:

Bobotie filo parcels with apple ring chutney

Cape Malay Chicken Meatballs

Stuffed cabbage with freekeh meatballs

Roast butternut and lentil bobotie

10 Comments. Leave new

  • ohhhhh my hat!!!! This looks sooooo divine!!! Definitely going to try this one too. Thanks Di.

  • Dianne Bibby
    3 August 2015 6:25 pm

    Thanks Lindi. Finally one for the men and meat eaters!! It’s one to bank.

  • Can’t wait to try this! Looks yummy!

  • Dianne Bibby
    6 October 2015 5:24 am

    Hi Denise. A most delicious tweak on the classic. The fillet steak makes it super-tender.

  • Hello.
    I made this for dinner and it was excellent! The recipe and directions are well written and easy to follow. I did not see where to add the garlic in the steps, so I just added it after browning the meat. I would have added it to the mushroom mixture had I caught the omission sooner. Regardless of this I was very pleased with the recipe and will definitely make it again. I did not make the pesto sauce for this go, but will try it with it at a later date. Thank you for a delicious recipe

  • Dianne Bibby
    28 March 2016 6:16 pm

    Hi Ruby. So glad you enjoyed it. I missed the garlic completely!! Thank you for pointing it out. It does go in with the mushrooms. I’m going to amend the copy now. The pesto isn’t altogether necessary, but does add a really nice flavour surprise. Thanks for visiting!

  • Love your recipes! Thank you!

    What can I use instead of Almond meal if I don’t have?

  • Dianne Bibby
    10 July 2020 10:50 am

    So glad you do, Lucy! The almond meal is a gluten-free thickening replacer. Alternatively, cornflour will also do.

  • Am making this tonight, how many does this serve, 4 ?
    Thank you for yummy inspirations….

  • Dianne Bibby
    23 July 2020 9:41 am

    Hi Stephanie. My pleasure. Yes, it will do four servings easily. Enjoy!

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