Mushroom Stroganoff

There are a million and one recipes for mushroon strog on the 'net, so why post another? Because out of all the ones I've used, this is the one I've adapted that works for me, and I'm going to forget it or lose the scrap of paper I've scribbled it on unless I post it up here.

Ingredients:

• 1 medium-sized onion, peeled and sliced
• olive oil
• butter
• 1 clove of garlic
• 1/2 tsp paprika
• 200g chestnut mushrooms
• small bunch of flat-leaf parsley
• 1/2 tbsp brandy or splash of wine
• 150g creme fraiche, or 4fl oz double cream & a squirt of lemon juice

Method:

1. Cook the onions slowly in a half-tablespoon of olive oil and a thin slice of butter over a moderate heat, until soft, pale gold and translucent.
2. Peel and chop the garlic and stir in, together with the paprika, and let it cook for a couple of minutes. Tip the onion into a bowl and set aside.
3. Cut the mushrooms into manageable sizes. Add a little more oil and butter to the pan. Add the mushrooms and let them brown.
4. When the mushrooms are soft and browned, return the cooked onions to the pan and add the parsley, roughly chopped, the brandy or wine, and a decent grinding of both sea salt and black pepper.
5. Let it all bubble together for a minute, then stir in the creme fraiche or cream. Let the sauce bubble gently until the mixture is hot all the way through.

I like to serve this on grilled slices of parmesan polenta, rather than the usual boring bed of rice.

Serves 2.