"I really nailed it"

Prego roll with salted sweet potato chips and chilli salt, The perfect TV dinner

Some things can never change, like the pleasure of eating a good steak sandwich.There will always be something to beef about.Can it be Improved yes it can. How? - Innovation, improvement, interpretation, adding new flavours and, of course, using only the best quality ingredients, and having a meat mallet to hand, apparently. Small beef or pork steaks in a roll (respectively pregos or bifanas) are popular Portuguese snacks. When menu crise dictates and when time and economy take their toll, a prego or bifana, eaten at a snack bar counter, may constitute the lunch of a white collar worker. When I´m in town, if I can just smell a whiff of a prego in the air I´m off down every back street and alley to find it- that´s how fanatical I am in my search for the best prego in Portugal.

These Portuguese steaks flavoured with onions and red wine are called garlic "nailed" steaks because a small meat mallet is typically used to "nail" the garlic slices into the steak. If you like drama, go for it, but I think its more preferable and less of a faff to just push the garlic in with your finger - it doesn't really stay in too well anyway. Regardless, this is an awesome way to enjoy your next steak sandwich. They're quick, satisfying and totally delicious.

Prego No Pao

2 x 120g rump or sirloin steaks (the ones sliced about 1/4  inch/ 5mm thick) 

30 g /10oz butter 

2 -3 cloves garlic, thinly sliced (or more) 

1/2 large onion, thinly sliced 

1/2 cup red wine 

1/2 teaspoon coarse sea salt

1/2 teaspoon coarse black pepper

2 crusty Portuguese bread rolls 
Piri Piri sauce to serve (optional) 

Lay out steaks on a work surface and to be traditional,"nail" the garlic slices into the steak on both sides (about a clove per steak, more if you like). If this isn't your style, just push the garlic slices in with your finger. 
In about 1/2 the butter, fry each steak for 3 to 4 minutes, turning once.  
Remove to a dish and reserve.Add a dash of Flor de sal to the meat while it is resting
Add the rest of the butter and the sliced onion.  
Saute until onion is golden, then transfer to another pan and continue coking over a very low heat. Pour the red wine into the skillet used to cook the steaks and onions; scrape up the browned bits and simmer over medium-high heat until liquid is reduced by about half and tastes good.Dip the cut sides of each bread roll in to soak up some of the juices from the sauce.Return the steaks   to this skillet, season with salt and pepper, and cook another minute on both sides of steaks, until warmed through. Serve steaks and onions on warmed crusty sandwich rolls.

Sweet potato chips and chilli salt
serves 6-8
500g(1lb) sweet potato peeled
vegetable oil for deep frying
1/2 teaspoon Flor de sal
1/4 teaspoon chilli powder
Use a vegetable peeler to peel the sweet potato into long, thin strips.Heat the oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Cook the sweet potato in batches for 1 minute until golden.Drain on absorbent paper.Combine the salt and chilli powder.Toss with the sweet potato chips and serve immediately.

or if you prefer......

Gourmet prego. O cozinheiro´s take

Imagine a well-seasoned and tender steak, sandwiched between thin strips of parmesan, rocket and crusty bread. Fancy?