Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons of olive oil

• 2 pounds of pork, cut into bite-sized pieces — pork tenderloin or pork steaks

• 1 finely chopped onion

• 2 minced garlic cloves

• 7 ounces of sliced  mushrooms

• 1 tablespoon of tomato paste

• 1¼ cups of chicken stock

• 1 tablespoon of Dijon mustard

• 1 tablespoon of smoked paprika

• 1 tablespoon of Italian herb seasoning

• ¾ cup of sour cream

• 1 tablespoon of fresh parsley, chopped

• 1 tablespoon of cornstarch mixed with 2 tablespoons of cold water

• Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Instructions

1. Brown the pork. Pat the pork thoroughly dry and season generously with salt and pepper. Heat the olive oil in a large, heavy skillet or shallow casserole over medium-high heat. Brown the pork in 2–3 batches, giving each piece enough room to sear properly. The pork does not need to be cooked through. Transfer to a plate.

2. Cook the vegetables. Reduce the heat to medium. Add the onion and cook for 3–4 minutes until softened. Add the garlic and mushrooms and cook until the mushrooms are nicely browned and most of their moisture has evaporated.

3. Build the sauce. Add the smoked paprika, Italian herbs, and tomato paste. Cook for about 30–60 seconds, stirring constantly. Add the Dijon mustard, then pour in the chicken stock. Scrape the browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Bring it to a gentle simmer and cook uncovered for several minutes so the sauce reduces slightly.

4. Finish the stroganoff. Reduce the heat to low. Stir in the sour cream until smooth. Return the pork and any accumulated juices into the pan. Simmer very gently until the pork is just cooked through. Avoid boiling once the sour cream has been added, or the sauce may separate.

5. Adjust the consistency. If the sauce is too thin, stir in the cornstarch slurry, stirring until the sauce reaches the desired consistency. Taste and adjust the salt, pepper, Dijon, or paprika as needed.

6. Serve. Sprinkle with fresh parsley and serve immediately.

Best accompaniments: buttered egg noodles are the classic choice, but this is also excellent over rice, or wide pasta. A little additional fresh parsley just before serving gives the dish a particularly nice finish.