On Monday, February 16, 2015 I will publish a full post about making Beef Stroganoff (update…it is here!). That is the day of “Maslenitsa” — a Russian celebration welcoming in Spring. I learned about this festival recently in a cooking class at Austin’s Russian House. But more on that later.

If you’d like to make real Russian Beef Stroganoff for Maslenitsa on Monday, here is what you need from the grocery store. Note that my recipe is not identical to the one given out in my cooking class.

Stroganoff:

• 1.5 lbs tenderloin beef
• medium onion
• 1 pound baby bella or portabella mushrooms
• 3 cups flour
• 1/3 cup sour cream
• 2 T spicy mustard
• 1 t horseradish
• 1.5 cups heavy cream
• truffle oil (you may replace with olive oil)
• salt & pepper
• black caviar (optional)

Serve over mashed potatoes or buckwheat. I will be making both.

Mashed potatoes:

• 4 pounds gold potatoes
• 4 T butter
• 1 cup cream
• 1/4 cup sour cream

Buckwheat:

• 1 cup buckwheat

Vodka is the preferred drink, of course! See you Monday with full recipe, instructions and photos of my process with tips along the way!