Traditional Recipes

• Beef stroganoff is thought to have originated in Russia and may have been named after Count Paul Stroganoff, a 19th century diplomat and noble. The story goes that a cook made the dish for the count while he was serving in Siberia. The beef was frozen so solidly the cook could only cut off small slivers of meat. Other sources contend similar recipes were floating around Russia from the 18th century. Regardless of its origins, the first recipes for beef stroganoff contained sour cream, rather than sweet cream, along with beef and onions. Mushrooms were not part of the original recipe.

American Versions

• Beef stroganoff was considered a gourmet dish in the 1930s and 40s, appearing on the menus of New York City's Russian Tea Room and the Russian Kretchma restaurants. Both restaurants served the dish with Worcestershire sauce and cream. After World War II, home cooks often made the dish with cream, condensed soup or ground beef. Contemporary renditions can include a number of creative ingredients, including cream, creme fraiche, gourmet mushrooms and whole seared steak.

At Home

• If you're going for a strictly traditional dish, skip the cream in favor of sour cream combined with beef broth. Sour cream adds a tang to the dish that regular cream simply can't supply. Combine the sour cream with the broth and warm it over medium heat, but don't allow it to boil, which can cause the sauce to curdle.

Making a Switch

• Cream makes a handy stand-in for sour cream in beef stroganoff. For a tart flavor, add a bit of lemon juice or vinegar to the cream to sour it. You can also use Greek yogurt, evaporated milk or buttermilk. Using cream, milk or buttermilk will result in a slightly thinner sauce. You can thicken it by stirring a bit of flour into the butter when you brown the beef to make a roux. When you add the broth and cream, the sauce will thicken.