PORTUGAL VINHO VERDE RECIPES

Steps:

• Let’s start by tenderizing our pork cutlets. For that you can use a meat tenderizer or even a rolling pin to gently pound the pork cutlets one by one, both sides.
• Place the cutlets in a bowl. Season it with salt and pepper and then add the remaining marinade ingredients rubbing it into the meat. Make sure that everything is in contact with the pork. Cover the bowl with cling film and put it in the fridge for at least 4 hours or ideally overnight.
• Put a frying pan over medium heat and add the fat: lard, butter and olive oil. Once the mixture is hot, gently place in our pork meat, keeping the marinade aside. You may be thinking we are using too much fat but don’t worry, the idea here is to slowly ‘confit’ the pork instead of frying it like you would normally do with a steak.
• Once the oils start bubbling (about 5-8 minutes) flip the pork and add to the frying pan its marinade, including the garlic.
• Occasionally stir and flip the pork until the garlic cloves are cooked (it will become a puree when you squeeze it with a fork). Let the sauce reduce a little bit more.
• Meanwhile, cut open the bread and quickly toast it, we want it still soft inside.
• Now it’s time to put it all together. Glaze both sides of the bread with the juicy pork sauce then add a steak. Serve it with mustard, our favourite one is an English mustard.

Steps:

• Place a medium saucepan over low to medium heat. Once the pan is hot, add the lard, olive oil, garlic, and bay leaf. Let it cook for a minute before adding the onion. Let it simmer for about 8 minutes until the onion turns translucent.
• Add the tinned tomatoes and the beef stock. Bring it to a boil and let it simmer for about 10 minutes.
• Add the remaining sauce ingredients: port wine, beer, piri-piri and Worcestershire sauce, cook for another 10 minutes
• With a hand mixer, blend everything until smooth. Let the sauce simmer for 30 minutes. The texture should be similar to a gravy, but slightly more liquid.
• If necessary, add some corn starch or other thickening to your taste. Make sure to dissolve it in cold water before adding to the mixture. Let it cook until it reaches your preferred texture.
• Season it with salt and black pepper, set it aside.
• Place a frying pan over high heat. Meanwhile, cut the sausages in half then butterfly-cut them.
• Fry the sausages in their own fat, then use the remaining fat to fry the steak. Finally, lightly fry the ham slices.
• Gently toast the bread slices. Start putting the Francesinha together: On a plate, place one bread slice, then a slice of cheese, ham, steak, the sausages, and the final bread slice.
• Fry the egg, place it on top of the sandwich, cover it with the cheese slices, leaving the egg-yolk visible.
• Bring the sauce to a boil, then spoon it on top of the sandwich. The hot sauce will melt the cheese. Serve it with a side of French fries.