Few Americans have ever had the real thing, probably because the frozen and cafeteria concoctions have given this old and rather rich dish a bad name. But it’s a simple preparation and a nice one; serve over buttered noodles or plain white rice or with bread. This is a good place to use beef tenderloin, because the cooking is quick and the meat should be tender. Both the mushrooms and the tomatoes are optional; the dish is perfectly fine without either or with both. Other cuts of meat you can use here: boneless veal shoulder or round.

　　

Ingredients

makes 4 servings

　　3 tablespoons butter

　　2 large onions, sliced

　　Salt and black pepper to taste

　　1/2 pound mushrooms, trimmed and sliced, optional

　　1 1/2 to 2 pounds beef tenderloin or boneless sirloin, cut into 1 1/2- to 2-inch chunks

　　1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

　　2 plum tomatoes (canned are fine), chopped, or 1/2 cup good tomato sauce, optional

　　1 cup beef or chicken stock, preferably homemade (page 160)

　　1/2 cup sour cream

　　Chopped fresh dill or parsley leaves for garnish

　　

Step 1

Put the butter in a large deep skillet or flameproof casserole with a lid and place over medium-high heat. When it melts, add the onions, along with a sprinkling of salt and pepper and the mushrooms if you’re using them, and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is very soft but not brown, about 10 minutes. Add the beef and cook, stirring, for just a minute.

　　

Step 2

Stir in the mustard, tomatoes if you’re using them, and stock. Adjust the heat so the mixture simmers steadily but not violently and cook for about 5 minutes, or until the meat is tender. Stir in the sour cream, taste and adjust the seasoning, garnish, and serve.

　　The Best Recipes in the World by Mark Bittman. © 2005 by Mark Bittman. Published by Broadway Books. All Rights Reserved.MARK BITTMAN is the author of the blockbuster The Best Recipes in the World (Broadway, 2005) and the classic bestseller How to Cook Everything, which has sold more than one million copies. He is also the coauthor, with Jean-Georges Vongerichten, of Simple to Spectacular and Jean-Georges: Cooking at Home with a Four-Star Chef. Mr. Bittman is a prolific writer, makes frequent appearances on radio and television, and is the host of The Best Recipes in the World, a 13-part series on public television. He lives in New York and Connecticut.