Non-Dairy Cooking: Beef Stroganoff

Okay, so if you didn't know already, I'm lactose-intolerant. Now, I like to cook and bake and I love to eat -- so I wasn't about to let a little thing like being unable to digest anything dairy (milk, cheese, anything with lactic acid) completely deter my food choices. I've been discovering some interesting alternatives, mostly in soy choices, but not always (although I'm a huge fan of Veggie Slices (soy cheese - so why did my local grocer remove them from their selection??? Argh!)

On Sunday, I decided to test a theory that it is possible to make stroganoff without dairy ingredients. A challenge, to be sure -- but I did it and it turned out great (it passed the "kid-approved" test)! Imagination, improvisation and prayer led to the following version of Beef Stroganoff...

Ingredients:

• 1 pound of chuck beef for stew
  
  Note: You can easily substitute with chicken - just cut up three boneless,
  skinless chicken breasts into bite-sized pieces.



• 1 package/can of beef stock (preferrably organic)


• 1 package/can of mushroom stock (preferrably organic)


• wide egg noodles (12 oz. or larger)


• Flour


• 1 large clove garlic


• 1/2 sweet (or yellow) onion


• Black Pepper


• Salt


• Steak seasonings


• Nature's Seasoning


• Blended cooking oil (I used Wesson)


• Olive Oil


• Paprika

Instructions:

1. Rinse beef in water, then season beef liberally with pepper and steak seasonings


2. Coat beef lightly in flour


3. Sautee garlic and onion in a skillet in about 2 tablespoons of virgin olive oil until slightly carmelized


4. Cook beef in onions and garlic till beef is thoroughly tender


5. Remove skillet from heat and cover


6. In a large cooking pot, heat about a quarter-cup of flour, mix in a couple of teaspoons of cooking oil in medium heat (DO NOT BURN THE FLOUR)


7. Add 2 cups of beef broth and stir into flour mixture


8. Add 1 cup of mushroom broth


9. Lower heat and stir to thicken gravy


10. Add 2 tablespoons black pepper, 1 tablespoon Nature's Seasoning, 2 tablespoons paprika and 1 teaspoon salt


11. Add beef and mushroom broth to taste


12. Stir in beef, onion and garlic mixture


13. Remove from heat


14. Boil water in a large pot (add 2 teaspoons olive oil before boiling)


15. Add wide egg noodles


16. Boil till egg noodles are soft and tender


17. Remove from heat, drain water through a strainer


18. Return noodles to large pot


19. Serve noodles, topped with meat gravy

This recipe easily serves a family of four for a couple of days. Enjoy!

Let me know if you have any of your own non-dairy recipes.

Best Wishes,
Allen