Bifes a Portugalia - Portuguese Steak, Fried Egg and Fries

I was born in Mozambique, which was a Portuguese colony and so I'm Portuguese, when the revolution happened in 1974, I was just a few months old and my parents, grandparents and remaining family were forced to evacuate the country.  We fled to Rhodesia, now known as Zimbabwe for a few months and then on to Portugal.  I lived there until I was 10 years old and then moved to South Africa, returning again in 1988 to Portugal.

Within a year, we were back in South Africa.  Crazy, I know, but we had to go where work was available for my father, and so we did.  I have always regretted not staying in Portugal and I really wish that I could go back.  I have been back a few times to visit and each time I make sure to have a good ol' Portuguese steak, at least once while there.

Portugal is amazing, not just for the old charm but the fantastic food, if you've never tried it you don't know what you're missing.

Anyway, all that just to tell you that you must give these steaks a try.  There are so many different versions out there but this is how I remember them.

The measurements I'm giving you below are for 4 people, just adjust accordingly depending on how many you are serving.

Bifes a Portugalia

4 steaks, I used bottom round because it is what was on sale, but use whatever you like
Salt and Pepper
Garlic
Bay Leaves
White wine
Butter
1 and half cups beer
Heavy Cream
4 Eggs, one per person

Season the steaks with salt and pepper, garlic, bay leaves and place them in a bowl.  Pour in some wine, cover and refrigerate to marinate for a few hours.  I like to get mine ready around lunch time and let them sit until dinner.

Place 2 tablespoons of butter in a skillet, add the steaks and cook on both sides until brown.

Add in another 2 tablespoons of butter and 1/2 cup of beer.  Turn the heat to medium low and simmer for about 10 minutes or until steaks are cooked through and tender.

Remove steaks, and keep warm.  Into the skillet pour in the 1 cup of beer and about a cup of heavy cream.  You can add more or less according to your taste.  Stir well and simmer until thickened.

Fry up the eggs and fries while the steaks are cooking.

On a plate, place a steak, add some of the gravy on top and around, I like to have the bottom of the plate filled with gravy.  Add some fries on the side, right onto the yummy gravy, and place the fried egg on top of the steak.

That's it.  Dig in and enjoy!!!!

Steak Pizzaiola

So one of mine and my husbands favorite shows is Everybody Loves Raymond.  We've watched it when it was on the TV, we have all the Seasons and we even watch any repeats that we catch on TV.  We like it THAT much.

One of the things that always catches my attentions in movies or shows is food, I mean I just can't ignore it, it makes me salivate and it makes me crave different dishes etc.

Such is the case with this recipe.  They kept talking about Steak Pizzaiola, eating Steak Pizzaiola and showing Steak Pizzaiola and I got a major craving but I had never made it and was thinking it was this elaborate recipe that would cook all day and would require a special cut of steak.  I was determined to make it though.

Much to my surprise I found quite a few versions online and they all looked super easy to make which then made me wonder if it would be as tasty as it sounds with such simple ingredients.

It IS and has now been added to my list of family favorites.  SO good.

Steak Pizzaiola

Adapted from different sources online

INGREDIENTS:

1 lb beef steaks, thinly sliced
3 TBS flour, for dredging
3 TBS olive oil
3 cloves of garlic peeled and crushed
1 14 oz. can of Italian plum tomatoes with their juices, hand crushed
2 TBS fresh chopped basil
salt and pepper to taste


METHOD:

Trim excess fat from the steaks and notch the edges slightly with a sharp knife to keep steaks from curling while cooking. Pat the meat dry and dredge lightly in the flour. Throw away any flour that is not used.
In a large heavy skillet heat 2 TBS of oil with garlic over medium heat. As soon as the cloves are golden, raise the heat to high and push them to the side. Place the meat in the skillet and brown quickly on both sides. Remove meat from pan and reserve.

Add the tomatoes to the pan with the remaining oil and basil. Season with salt and pepper. Cook over medium heat for about 10- 15 minutes until the liquid has thickened and reduced. Discard the garlic cloves and return steask to the pan. Cover them with the sauce and then with a lid and cook for 4-5 minutes more or until steaks are cooked through. Serve immediately!

Serves 4.

Note:  I didn't use frying steak, my family doesn't like those so I used Beef Tip Steaks and just cooked them a little longer.

Best Grilled Steak Marinade

Being the fourth of July, we are grilling and that means Bratwurst and hamburgers and hotdogs, but it also means the BEST Grilled Steaks.

I came across this marinade a long time ago and honestly, I can't remember where, I didn't write it down just memorized it and have used it since then.

Instead of marinading steaks overnight, it takes but 3 hours until you can throw the steaks on the grill.

Best Grilled Steak Marinade

4-5 choice beef steaks
1/2 cup soy sauce
2 teaspoons olive oil
2 teaspoons ketchup
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 teaspoon oregano
1 teaspoon pepper
1 can of beer


Blend all ingredients, pour over steaks.
Marinate 3 hours, turning frequently.

Grill to your liking.


Printer Friendly Recipe

Steaks with Pepper Sauce

This is a recipe for a Pepper Sauce that I make to go along with my steaks. It's one I learned to make a LONG time ago and one of my dad's favorites, I remember him requesting me to make it for him many many times. It's easy to fix and delicious, you're left with this creamy peppery sauce that goes perfect over steaks.

 

STEAKS WITH PEPPER SAUCE

 

Steaks (you can pretty much use anything, except for frying steaks, you need something thicker) 

Small onion, chopped finely 

olive oil 

salt and pepper

paprika 

garlic powder 

butter 

1 can evaporated milk 

cornstarch 

 

 

On the steaks I sprinkle salt, pepper, paprika and garlic powder.  Then I roll them up and cover with some saran wrap and pop into the refrigerator for a couple of hours. It's even better if you leave them overnight to really get those flavors in. 

 

 

 

   

 

Meantime, in a small saucepan....add a little bit of olive oil, the onion, salt and pepper and some butter. Cook over medium heat until onion is cooked. Keep adding little bits of water to prevent it from sticking or drying out. 

 

 

 

Once the onion is cooked, check the spices. This is a pepper sauce, my husband likes it pretty hot so I just keep adding crushed peppercorns until he is happy with it. You could certainly make this mild and add only a little bit if your kids don't like spicy stuff. 

 

 

 

Cook for a few minutes and then add the can of evaporated milk, mix well. In a separate little bowl or cup....add about 2 tablespoons of cornstarch and a little bit of water and mix well until smooth and free of lumps. 

 

Add to the sauce and stir until thickened, remove from the heat. Now it's time to get the steaks going. In a big skillet, add some olive oil and the steaks. Cook until steaks are done, turning them over a few times and adding little bits of water at a time so they don't burn. 

 

 

 

Serve the steaks with rice or mashed potatoes or fries. I like to put a whole bunch of gravy on the steaks AND whatever side I'm having with it, tonight it was rice. Enjoy!

Steak Roll Ups!

A few years ago I was about to make the Ham and Cheese Chicken roll ups and realized that for some reason, I had no chicken. So I turned to what I did have at hand which were some frying steaks, I used those instead and the family loved it.

Serve these with some White Rice with Peas and a Salad.

Steak Roll Ups

3 or 4 Frying Steaks
Ham slices
Shredded cheese
salt and pepper
garlic powder
milk and bread crumbs
olive oil
1 or 2green onions, sliced

Lay the steaks out one at a time and layer ham slices, shredded cheese, salt and pepper and garlic powder.

Roll up and you can either hold it together with toothpicks or twine or just leave as is but be careful when you're handling them so they don't fall apart.

Dip the steaks in milk and then bread crumbs and place on a baking dish greased with olive oil.....make sure the seams are side down.

Drizzle some more olive oil over the steaks and sprinkle the green onions on top.

Bake in a 375º oven for about 1 hour or until steaks are cooked through and golden brown.

Portuguese Steak and Fries!!!

This is a great dish, and I've seen it made a few different ways, I've prepared it differently too, but I think you guys will enjoy this one.

BIFES DE CEBOLADA

4 plump garlic cloves
salt and pepper
2 1/2 tsp. red wine vinegar
4 steaks, about 3/4 inch thick
3 tbsp. olive oil
1 large bay leaf, torn in half
4 oz. presunto ham, chopped
6 tbsp. full bodied red wine
1 tbsp. chopped parsley

Using a mortar and pestle or the end of a rolling in a small bowl, mash 2 of the garlic cloves with a pinch of salt; then mix in the vinegar and black pepper. Rub into both sides of each steak. Leave in a cool place for 30 minutes.

Halve the remaining garlic. Heat the oil in a large heavy-based skillet, add the garlic halves and the bay leaf, and cook for 1-1 1/2 minutes, stirring. Using a perforated spoon, discard the garlic and bay leaf. Add the steaks and brown quickly and evenly on both sides 2-3 minutes a side. Transfer to warmed plates and keep warm.

Pour off most of the fat from the pan, then add the ham and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes. Stir in the wine, dislodging the sediment, and boil until lightly thickened. Season and pour over the steaks. Serve sprinkled with the parsley.

PORTUGUESE FRIED POTATOES (Batatas a Portuguesa)

4 tbsp. olive oil
1 1/2 lb. small potatoes, sliced into 1/4 inch thick slices
salt and pepper
finely chopped parsley

Heat the oil over a moderate heat in a large, heavy-based skillet. Add the potatoes and cook for about 15 minutes until tender and golden, turning the slices frequently so they cook evenly.

Season the potatoes, drain on paper towels and transfer to a warm serving dish. Sprinkle with parsley and serve immediately.


Both these recipes came from the "Portuguese Cooking" by Hilaire Walden book. As always, there's different ways of making these well known dishes and actually if you travel anywhere in Portugal, you'll notice that the women prepare different versions.

I'm really hoping to be able to start sharing my portuguese recipes with you all, I'm sure you won't be disappointed :)