Tag: beef
Prego Steak Sandwich
Prego Steak Sandwich
In addition to the prego rolls, the Portuguese also introduced the prego steak sandwich to South Africans. This might be the most ultimate steak sandwich you’ll ever eat. It is that good and fairly easy to make. Thinly sliced sirloin steaks are marinated in a peri peri based marinade, then quickly grilled. The steaks are topped on a prego roll with onion and tomato. I made a simple peri peri aioli to smear on top of the roll.
Servings: 4 sandwiches
Equipment
- immersion blender
Ingredients
Steak Marinade
- 3 tbsp peri peri sauce
- 1 small roma tomato chopped
- 2 tbsp lemon juice
- 2 garlic cloves
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 tsp sugar
- 1 tsp salt
Prego Sandwich
- 4 prego rolls sliced in half
- 1 1/2 lbs top sirloin cut into 4 steaks; each steak sliced in half and pounded to 1/8” thick
- tomato thinly sliced
- onion thinly sliced
- 3 tbsp mayonnaise
- 1 tbsp peri peri sauce
- olive oil
Instructions
- Place the marinade ingredients in a small bowl.
- Using an immersion blender, purée the ingredients.
- Marinate the sirloin for 8 hours.
- Heat up a tbsp of olive oil in a nonstick skillet over medium high heat. Toast the prego rolls until golden brown.
- Add another tbsp of olive oil to the pan. Increase the heat to high. Add in the sirloin in 2 batches, making sure not to overcrowd the pan.
- Cook the sirloin for no more than 2 minutes a side.
Sandwich Assembly
- Place 2 pieces of steak on the bottom part of the prego roll.
- Mix together the mayo and peri peri and smear the top part of the bun. Top the steak with sliced tomato and onion.
Prego Rolls
What a lot of people don’t realize is that South Africa was discovered by a Portuguese explorer in 1488, heavily influencing the country’s cuisine. The Portuguese introduced prego rolls (amongst many other things) to South Africa, becoming a staple at the dinner table. The rolls only have a couple of ingredients and are fairly easy to make if you have the patience to allow dough to rise. Prego rolls are good on their own with butter, but even better as a prego sandwich.
Equipment
- standing mixer with dough hook attachment
Ingredients
- 2 1/4 cup warm water
- 1/2 cup milk
- 1 1/2 tbsp vegetable oil
- 2 tsp active dry yeast
- 1 tsp sugar
- 4 1/4 cups bread flour plus more
- 1 1/2 tsp salt
Instructions
- Add the warm water, yeast, sugar, oil, and salt to the bowl of a standing mixer on low speed. Mix for 2 minutes. Pour in the milk.
- Slowly incorporate the flour into the bowl until a ball forms. Knead in the mixer on medium low speed for 5 minutes.
- Take the dough off the hook. Cover with a towel and let rise for 45 minutes.
- Lightly flour a clean surface. Roll the dough out into one long cylindrical shape. Cut that in half. Then cut 6 equal pieces out of each cylinder, for a total of 12 pieces.
- Roll each piece into a ball and cut an X into the top.
- Place each dough roll on a baking sheet. Cover with plastic wrap and allow the rolls to rise for 30 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Place the baking sheet on the center rack.
- Bake for 12 minutes until golden brown.
Peri Peri Sauce
Peri peri is eaten all over Southern African countries such as Mozambique and South African. The sauce, which can double as a marinade, has the perfect balance of sweet, salt, and acidity, with a tremendous amount of heat. It pairs well with just about every meat, fish, and seafood. The base of the sauce comes from African bird’s eye chilies. Since these peppers aren’t accessible outside of Africa, Thai red bird’s eye chilies are a suitable replacement. All of the ingredients are puréed in a food processor, then slowly simmered to cook out the raw flavor of the ingredients. Peri peri can be stored in an air tight container for up to 2 weeks in the refrigerator.
Equipment
- food processor
Ingredients
- 1 red onion chopped
- 8 garlic cloves chopped
- 1/2 cup red bird’s eye chilies chopped
- 1 red bell pepper seeded and chopped
- 2 small roma tomatoes chopped
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 2 small lemons juiced and zested
- 4 tbsp red wine vinegar
- 1 tbsp sugar
- 1/2 tbsp salt
- 1/2 tsp cracked black pepper
- 1 bay leaf
- 1/2 tbsp oregano
- 1/2 tbsp smoked paprika
Instructions
- Place all of the ingredients in a food processor.
- Purée until smooth.
- Place the purée in a small pot over medium low heat. Simmer for 20 minutes, occasionally stirring.
Algerian Kefta
Algerian Kefta
Here is an Algerian version of one of my favorite dishes, kefta. This particular type of kefta are made from ground beef, onion, garlic, salt, and pepper. They are formed into flattened meatballs, pan fried, then topped with a tomato sauce. Serve the kefta with basmati rice.
Ingredients
- 1 lb ground beef
- 4 garlic cloves minced
- 1/2 cup white onion finely chopped; divided
- salt and pepper to taste
- 3 roma tomatoes diced
- 1 tsp parsley
- 1 tsp ras el hanout
- 1/2 cup water
Instructions
- Mix together the ground beef, 2 minced garlic cloves, 1/4 cup onion, salt and pepper.
- Roll into a dozen meatballs.
- Slightly flatten the meatballs into patties.
- Place the kefta in a sauté over medium high heat.
- Cook for 4 minutes a side.
- Remove from the pan and arrange on a platter.
- In the same pan, sauté the remaining onion for 5 minutes.
- Add in the garlic and sauté for 1 minute.
- Add in the tomatoes, parsley, and ras el hanout. Sauté for 5 minute until tomatoes are soft.
- Pour in the water.
- Cook down for another 5 minutes.
Sanjeok (Beef, Asparagus, Mushroom Skewers)
Sanjeok (Beef, Asparagus, Mushroom Skewers)
In Korean, sanjeok refers to skewered meat and vegetables. These mini skewers were traditionally eaten at special occasions and gatherings, but are now casually eaten at anytime of the year. The sanjeok cook quickly in under 5 minutes; either being broiled or pan fried.
Equipment
- toothpicks
Ingredients
- asparagus cut into 4” pieces
- trumpet mushrooms thinly sliced
- salt and pepper to taste
For The Beef
- 1/2 lb sirloin, flank, or strip loin
- 1 tbsp soy sauce
- 2 tsp sugar
- 2 tsp sesame oil
- 1 tsp mirin
- 1 tsp garlic grated
- 1 tsp ginger grated
Instructions
- Cut the beef into 1/4” thick, 5” long pieces.
- Mix together the marinade ingredients.
- Marinate the beef for 30 minutes.
- Using a toothpick, skewer in the following order: asparagus, beef, mushroom, asparagus, mushroom, beef, and asparagus.
- You should yield 10-12 skewers.
- Turn on your oven’s broiler. Place the skewers on a rack on a baking pan lined in foil.
- Broil for 2 minutes a side. Alternatively, you can pan fry the skewers over medium high heat for 2 minutes a side.
