With our appetites ignited by the blini appetiser, it wasn’t long before we were keen to move onto the next course in our recent Russian-inspired lunch. Which just happened to be…..a battle of the stroganoffs! Mr BBB prepared a rich and creamy original version, with the trusty guidance of Maggie Fulton. And, with the carnivores taken care of, I opted to try and make a vegetarian version. With tofu for protein… Vegetables for bulk…   The assistance of our wok… And a mixture of tomato passata, stock and peanut butter… And I had something that started to almost resemble a stroganoff. Finished with crème fraiche, and my meat-free take on an old classic was complete! I was really pleased with how this stroganoff turned out. It was rich in flavour, and wonderfully creamy… Just how a stroganoff should be really!   I found it hard to compare the two versions, however, as they were both yummy in their own way. Served with brown rice, and topped with fresh parsley, I am going to sit on the fence and call this a draw 😉 Although, I must say, I did love how vibrant in colour the vegetarian version turned out – and the tofu and mushrooms really take on the sweet and creamy flavours of the dish. Vegetarian stroganoff (serves 6 to 8) (adapted from here)

• 1tbs olive oil
• 600g firm tofu, pressed and cubed
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 red onion, sliced
• 1 red capsicum, sliced
• 400g button mushrooms, sliced
• 1 cup tomato passata
• 400ml vegetable stock
• 2 tbs peanut butter
• 2 tsp cornflour
• 1 tbs tomato paste
• 200g crème fraiche
• salt and pepper
• chopped fresh parsley to serve

1. Heat oil in a large wok over a medium-high heat. Add tofu and stir fry until golden brown. Remove and set aside.
2. Add onion and garlic to the wok, and cook for 2 minutes.
3. Add capsicum and mushrooms and cook for a further 4 minutes, stirring.
4. Return the tofu to the pan. Add the passata, stock and peanut butter, stirring to coat. Simmer for 5-10 minutes, or until the liquids have mostly evaporated.
5. Transfer to a medium sized saucepan, and place over a low heat.
6. Mix cornflour with a little water to form a paste. Add to the tofu and vegetables, along with the tomato paste and crème fraiche. Stir to combine and heat over a low heat until warmed through (stirring often). Season with salt and pepper.
7. Top with fresh parsley to serve.