Portuguese-Style Steaks with Fiery Green Piri Piri Sauce

As I have no doubt mentioned a few times on the blog already, I am lucky enough to have Portuguese relatives and I get to spend a lot of time over there eating their delicious cuisine. This dish is inspired by their love of garlic and sherry vinegar and it brings a new twist to the infamous Piri Piri sauce.


The steaks themselves as marinated in the vinegar and garlic as well as the stalks from the parsley. This really tenderizes the meat and makes for a flavourful and juicy steak. The sauce packs a real punch: hot with chilli, vibrant with fresh herbs, zingy with sherry vinegar and finished off with a background hum of garlic and spring onions. This recipe is ideal for this time of year and the steaks will be even better if you chuck them on the barbeque


Portuguese-Style Steaks with Fiery Green Piri Piri Sauce

Serves 4

2 garlic cloves, finely chopped

4 small rump steaks
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp sherry vinegar
bunch of flat-leaf parsley, stalks only


For the green piri piri sauce:
large handful fresh basil
large handful flat-leaf parsley, leaves only
3-4 jalapeño chillies, roughly chopped
2 tbsp sherry vinegar
6 spring onions, chopped, including green bits
3 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
1 heaped tsp caster sugar


Rub the garlic over the steaks then put in a sandwich bag and tip in the olive oil, sherry vinegar and parsley stalks. Smoosh everything together, then use a rolling pin to bash the steaks a few times. Leave for 1-2 hours.


To make the sauce, put all the ingredients into a blender and whizz until as smooth as possible. Season to taste with salt and pepper.


Heat a griddle or frying pan to high. Brush away the garlic and parsley stalks from the steaks and season well. Sear the steaks for 2 minutes on each side then rest on a plate, covered with foil. Once the steaks have rested, serve with potato wedges, a fresh salad and the green piri piri sauce.