Preparation time: 10 minutes; Cooking time: 45-50 minutes; Serves: 4

Ingredients

• 2-5 tablespoons olive oil
• 500g (1 pound) beef sirloin, cut into thin strips
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1 large onion, sliced into half moons
• ½ teaspoon dried chilli flakes
• 3 cloves garlic finely chopped
• 227g (8oz) sliced cremini mushrooms
• 3 fresh sprigs of thyme, leaves removed and chopped or 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1 teaspoon smoked or Spanish paprika 
• 3 tablespoons dry or medium sherry
• 1 cup beef or vegetable stock (broth)
• ¾ cup full fat sour cream
• ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
• Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Instructions

1. Brown the beef: mix the all purpose flour with salt and freshly ground pepper on a plate. Toss in the beef until fully coated. Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large sauce pan or skillet over medium-high heat. Brown the meat on all sides. Remove and set aside.
2. Cook the onions: In the same pan, heat another tablespoon olive oil and cook the onions and chilli flakes over medium heat for 5-6 minutes until light golden. Add the garlic in the last 1 minute. Remove the onions and set aside.
3. Cook the mushrooms: add 2 tablespoons olive oil to the same pan and cook the mushrooms over medium high heat until lightly golden. Season with some salt and pepper as they cook.
4. Add back the beef and onion, the thyme and the stock: add back the beef and onion to the mushrooms together with the thyme and paprika and stir to combine. Cook for one minute then add the sherry and let cook until absorbed. Now add the stock and bring to the boil and simmer 10-15 minutes or until the beef is tender.
5. Stir in the sour cream. when ready to serve, stir in the sour cream and nutmeg. Heat until piping hot (do not boil). Adjust seasoning and serve immediately over a bed of rice or pasta or egg noodles (please your palate). I always have mine with white rice.

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