Slow-cooked Mutton Stroganoff

Serves 4-6, takes around 4 hours

A classic stroganoff is an opulent dish that calls for the finest fillet steak. This deliciously slow-cooked version by Nicola will seriously give it a run for its money at a fraction of the price.

“Growing up, my dad only ever made a slow-cooked stroganoff using a cheap bit of braising steak – I’m not sure we even knew it was supposed to be made with fillet. It was my favourite meal, which we’d devour with fluffy basmati rice and piles of homemade chips. Making this dish with diced mutton is a huge success, the meat becoming tender and deliciously savoury after a few hours in the oven, the addition of crème fraîche providing both lightness and luxury.”

This dish can also be enjoyed with fat pappardelle noodles – you may want to pull some of the pieces of meat apart for this.

1. Heat the oven to 150°C.
2. Remove the mutton from the fridge and let it sit at room temperature while you chop the onions and garlic.
3. Warm a heavy based frying pan over a high heat. Once hot, add 1 tbsp rendered mutton fat or neutral oil and let it coat the base of the pan. Brown the meat in single layers, in batches, adding more oil as needed. Don’t overcrowd the pan or it will steam rather than sear. Once the meat is seared, season with a couple of pinches of sea salt and set to one side.
   • Cook’s tip: don’t feel you need to brown all sides of the meat in the pan as this can toughen the meat. A good crust on one side is plenty.
4. Once you’ve seared the meat, place the pan back over a medium heat and add 35g butter. Once it is bubbling, add the onions and fry until golden brown – this should take around 15 minutes.
5. Add the garlic, thyme and bay leaves and cook for 2-3 minutes, until the garlic has softened.
6. Add the dry white wine, turn the heat up and reduce by one third.
7. Add the mustard, soy sauce and tomato puree, stir well.
8. Tip the onion mix and the meat into a heavy casserole pot and add just enough chicken stock to almost cover the meat.
9. Add a lid to your cooking pot and bake in the oven for 2.5 hours, stirring once. Remove the lid and bake for a further 30 minutes, allowing the surface of the braise to build up a good, dark crust which will enhance the flavour of the finished dish.
   • Cook’s tip: if you wish to make this dish in advance, stop at this stage. Add a lid, let the cooking pot cool and then pop the whole lot into the fridge. When you’re ready to continue cooking, warm in the oven at 130°C for 30 minutes or until gently bubbling.
10. Shortly before you want to eat, place a frying pan over a high heat. Add 1 tbsp light olive oil and a generous knob of butter. Fry the mushrooms until deep golden brown, in batches if needed so that you get a good colour on the finished dish. Season with a little salt at the end.
11. Add the mushrooms and crème fraîche to the pot and stir well. Season to taste and enjoy with steamed basmati rice or pappardelle (homemade chips optional but very much recommended).

1kg diced mutton
2 tbsp rendered mutton fat or neutral oil for frying
Flaky sea salt
35g butter
2 brown onions, finely sliced into half moons
6 cloves garlic, very finely sliced
3 sprigs thyme
2 bay leaves
200ml dry white wine
2 tsp dijon mustard
2 tbsp dark soy sauce
1 tbsp tomato puree
Around 400ml chicken stock

To finish
Olive oil and butter for frying
350g chestnut mushrooms, sliced
120g creme fraiche