There are many different recipes, as you will notice when you search for it on the internet. The recipe I propose here is delicious, it is not very difficult, and all the ingredients needed are available in Rwanda.
One important ingredient, the “fond”, needs to be prepared in advance. A fond is a very strong and concentrated stock. It is prepared by making a beef stock (or veal stock or chicken stock) and then simmering it for a long time so that most of the water evaporates.
What remains is a reduced, thick, dark liquid full of flavour, In Europe it is possible to buy ready-made fonds in jars from supermarkets or gourmet shops, but if you need fond here in Rwanda you must make it yourself. The recipe is given at the end, If you lack the time to prepare a fond, you may replace it by red or white wine, but the flavour of the sauce won’t be as good .
The same is true for the wodka, a strong alcoholic beverage from Russia, You use it to flambé the sauce : when the wodka is added to the hot sauce, the alcohol evaporates. These alcoholic vapours are set a light by allowing them to catch the flame from the cooking fire.
Ingredients for the Stroganoff sauce :
– 1 medium-sized red bell pepper, cut into thin slices
– 1 medium-sized green bell pepper, cut the same way
– 1 medium-sized red onion, cut into narrow wedges (half-moons)
– 2 cloves of garlic, sliced finely
– olive oil or amavuta y’inka
– salt, pepper
– 1½ tablespoon paprika powder
– if you like : pili-pili or chillie powder
– 1 dl fond (very concentrated stock – see recipe below) or some red or white wine
– ½ dl (= 50 ml) wodka
– 1 dl sieved tomato pulp or ready-made “passata” from a packet
– 1½ dl thick fresh cream or sour cream
Praparation of the Stroganoff sauce :
1. Heat an ample quantity of olive oil or butter in a frying pan
2. Sauté the onion, the two bell peppers and the garlic
3. Add salt, pepper and paprika powder
4. Add the fond (or the wine)
5. Lower the flame, put a lid on the pan and let simmer slowly for 10 minutes
6. Take the lid off, increase the flame and boil hard for just a few minutes so that most of the liquid evaporates
7. Pour the wodka into the pan and let it warm, then tilt the pan so that the alcoholic vapours can catch the flame from the cooking fire. Let burn until the flame dies out by itself
 NOTE : if you have a ventilation hood, switch it off during this operation !!
8. Lower the fire and add the tomato pulp
9. Add the cream and stir to obtain a homogeneous sauce
10. Keep the sauce warm while you prepare the steaks.
Serve the steaks with the sauce, and serve boiled potatoes, green beans and salad on the side.
And here is the recipe for “fond”: Ingredients :
– about 1 kg beef and bones, preferably shin bone and bone with marrow
– one large onion, peeled, cut into two halves
– one carrot, peeled, cut into large pieces
– one leek, cleaned, cut into large pieces
– one bay leaf
– stalks and some leaves of parsley and celery
– if you have any stalks or leftovers from other vegetables (cauliflower, broccoli, fennel, parsnip) you may add them as well
– a sprig of thyme
(we do NOT add salt)
Preparation :
1. Fill a large soup pot with 2 – 3 liters water and add the meat and the bones
2. Bring to the boil. When the water starts boiling, lower the flame but do not put the lid on the pot. Let simmer very slowly (the water should barely move) for about 10 minutes
3. You will see a greyish foam appear on the surface – remove this with the help of a spoon or a slotted spoon. You may have to repeat this action several times as the foam continues to form
4. When no more new foam is formed, add the vegetables and spices, lower the flame, put the lid on the pot and let simmer very very slowly for 2 – 3 hours
5. Put the contents of the pot through a fine sieve and keep it.
