This is a hearty classic, a great winter warmer and a dish that has fond memories for me. By fond, we're not talking family memories that tug at the heart strings, more memories that bring back a smile from my student days. This dish was a favourite of one of my housemates to make. We all used to take turns cooking Sunday dinner, so he decided on beef stroganoff. Now this is made using steak, which is flash fried, and as a poor student he decided to economise and bought the cheapest beef from the butchers for the dish. While the dish may have tasted great, the beef was very chewy, as he'd inadvertently bought stewing beef instead of steak. To this day I still have the image of my housemates and I chewing away on this dish.

250g - 300g sirloin steak cut into strips (trim off any excess fat), you can also use rib eye if you like
1 onion peeled, cut in half and sliced 
10g paprika
50ml creme fraiche
50ml chicken stock
10ml brandy
10ml oil for frying
100g chestnut mushrooms sliced
10g butter for frying
5ml sherry vinegar
Salt and pepper

In a pan on a medium heat fry off the mushrooms in the butter for 5 minutes
Remove to one side to a plate
Lower the heat and add the oil and onions and cook for 10 minutes until they are soft and glossy, add the paprika and cook for a further 3 minutes
Remove to one side to a plate
Turn up the heat to high and add the steak slices to the pan and fry quickly for 2 minutes until nicely browned
Quickly add the brandy and cook for a further minute
Lower the heat and add the chicken stock, mushrooms, onions and sour cream and stir to combine, cook for a further minute
Season with salt and pepper and stir through the sherry vinegar to finish the sauce