Bifana is a popular Portuguese street food staple. It features thinly sliced pork steaks marinated and simmered in a flavourful paprika, garlic, and white wine sauce, all served on soft bread rolls called Papo Secos. This version includes slow-cooked onions and peppers, served with peri peri potatoes and salad, making for a heartier main meal.
The quantities provided above are averages only.
Boxes and ingredients are packed in facilities that handles Peanut, Nuts, Sesame, Fish, Crustaceans, Milk, Egg, Mustard, Celery, Soya, Gluten and Sulphites. Due to the war in Ukraine, it has been necessary to substitute sunflower oil with rapeseed oil in some products without a label change. The FSA have advised that allergic reactions to rapeseed oil are rare.
4 unit(s)
Garlic Clove
450 grams
Potatoes
1 sachet(s)
Peri Peri Seasoning
1 unit(s)
Onion
1 unit(s)
Bell Pepper
(May contain Celery)
2 unit(s)
British Pork Loin Steaks
1 sachet(s)
Smoked Paprika
30 milliliter(s)
Cider Vinegar
(Contains Sulphites)
2 unit(s)
Ciabatta
(Contains Cereals containing gluten)
20 grams
Wild Rocket
1 tsp
Sugar
2 tbsp
Mayonnaise
1 tbsp
Tomato Ketchup
100 milliliter(s)
Water for the Sauce
20 grams
Butter
Preheat your oven to 220°C/200°C fan/gas mark 7.
Pop half the garlic (unpeeled) into a small piece of foil with a drizzle of oil and scrunch to enclose it. Slice the potatoes into 1cm thick rounds (no need to peel).
Pop the slices onto a large baking tray. Drizzle with oil, sprinkle over half the peri peri seasoning, season with salt and pepper, then toss to coat. Spread out in a single layer. TIP: Use two baking trays if necessary.
When the oven is hot, roast on the top shelf until golden, 25-35 mins. Turn halfway through. Add the garlic parcel to the tray and roast until soft, 10-12 mins.
Meanwhile, halve, peel and thinly slice the onion. Peel and grate the remaining garlic (or use a garlic press).
Halve the bell pepper and discard the core and seeds. Slice into thin strips.
Heat a drizzle of oil in a medium saucepan on medium heat.
Once hot, add the onion and pepper. Season with salt and pepper and fry, stirring occasionally, until golden, 10-12 mins.
Meanwhile, heat a drizzle of oil in a large frying pan on medium-high heat. Season the pork with salt, pepper and the remaining peri peri seasoning. IMPORTANT: Wash your hands and equipment after handling raw meat.
Once hot, add the pork steaks. Fry until browned, 2-3 mins on each side. Reduce the heat to medium and fry for an additional 4-6 mins, turning every couple of mins.
Once the pork steaks are cooked, remove to a plate and cover with another plate or foil to rest. IMPORTANT: The pork is cooked when no longer pink in the middle.
Once the onions and peppers are golden, add the sugar (see pantry for amount) and cook until caramelised, 1-2 mins more. Cover with a lid and set aside to keep warm.
Once the garlic has cooled, cut the end with scissors, squeeze it out of the skin and mash with a fork.
In a small bowl, combine the roasted garlic and mayo (see pantry for amount).
Heat the (now empty pork) frying pan on medium heat with a drizzle of oil.
Stir the grated garlic, smoked paprika, cider vinegar, ketchup and water for the sauce (see pantry for both amounts) into the pan. Bring to a boil and simmer until slightly thickened, 3-4 mins.
Meanwhile, thinly slice the pork steaks.
Halve the ciabattas and pop them into the oven to warm through, 2-3 mins.
Once the sauce has thickened, stir the sliced pork into the sauce along with the butter (see pantry for amount) until melted.
When everything's ready, spoon over some of the bifana style sauce over the bun bases.
Spread the garlic aioli over the bun lids, then top the bases with the pork slices and some of the peppers and onions, along with any remaining bifana sauce. Sandwich shut with the bun lids.
Toss the remaining veg with the potato slices and share between serving plates. Serve the rocket alongside with a drizzle of olive oil to finish.
Enjoy!