Bifana Recipes

BIFANA (PORTUGUESE PORK CUTLETS)

Steps:

• Rinse the pork cutlets and then pat dry with paper towels.
• Place pork in a large heavy plastic bag (like a freezer ziploc bag) and place in a large bowl.
• In a mixing bowl, combine one cup of the wine, the vinegar, garlic, bay leaf, 1/2 tsp of the pimento paste, 1/4 tsp of the paprika, peppercorns, cloves and piri-piri sauce.
• Pour this over pork, make sure all meat is coated, and seal the bag.
• Refrigerate for several hours or overnight, turning bag over in bowl frequently.
• Bring meat to room temperature before cooking.
• To cook, remove pork from marinade and lightly pat pork dry with paper towels.
• Heat a skillet over medium-high heat and melt lard, then cook pork in batches in hot lard; if your pork is thin it will likely only take a minute per side, at the most.
• When all the pork has been sauteed, drain off the fat and add the remaining wine (1/4 cup), remaining pimento paste (1/4 tsp), remaining paprika (1/4 tsp) to the skillet, as well as salt and pepper to taste.
• Bring this to a boil, stirring the pan to get up any brown bits.
• Return all the pork to the skillet, reduce heat to low, and cook for about another minute.

BIFANA RECIPE

Steps:

• Pound meat with a mallet to tenderize until thin, place meat in a bowl
• Season Pork with Salt, Pepper, Paprika
• OPTIONAL: Add Tablespoon of Massa Pimentao to meat
• Add Piri Piri, Bay Leaf, White White, and Garlic to bowl
• Let marinade at least 1 hour
• Add olive oil and butter to pan at medium high heat
• Add garlic to pan, do not burn (adjust temperature if needed)
• Fry Pork on both sides until golden brown, reserving marinade for later
• Remove pork from pan, deglaze pan with marinade reserved earlier
• Once sauce begins to simmer, add pork back to pan
• Cook on medium heat for about 5 minutes, until sauce thickens a bit
• Serve as a sandwich in a crispy Papo Seco, top with Mustard if desired

BIFANAS DE PORCO

Steps:

• Do this the day before: Mash the garlic and salt to form a paste.
• Add the hot pepper paste and 1 teaspoons of paprika.
• Coat the medallions with this paste and put them in a shallow dish.
• Pour the wine over all, make sure they all are covered.
• Refrigerate over night.
• When you are ready to cook them: Take the medallions out of the dish, and discard the marinade.
• Heat 1/2 cup of olive oil over med-high heat.
• Add the onions sautéing until brown.
• Add the rest of the paprika and cook for about 3 minutes.
• Cover and keep this warm.
• In a large skillet pour in enough olive oil to 1/2 of the bottom.
• Heat to very hot but not smoking.
• Brown the medallions a few at a time without crowding.
• Fry about 1 minute on each side.

BIFANA

Steps:

• To make the chutney: Combine sugar, vinegar, ginger, garlic, cumin, cinnamon, cloves and red pepper in a large saucepan. Bring to simmer over low heat, stirring occasionally, until sugar dissolves. Add rhubarb, onion and raisins. Increase heat to medium-high and cook until rhubarb is tender and mixture thickens slightly. Remove from heat and let cool completely.
• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
• To cook pork: Sprinkle pork with cumin, salt and pepper. Heat oil in large, heavy skillet over high heat. Add pork and brown on all sides, about 5 minutes.
• Transfer pork to roasting pan. Brush with 6 tablespoons of the chutney. Place in preheated oven, brushing occasionally with 6 more tablespoons chutney. Cook until thermometer inserted into center registers 145 degrees (63 degrees C), about 25 minutes. Slice pork into medallions. Garnish with cilantro sprigs and serve with remaining chutney.

PORK BIFANA (LISBON STYLE)

Steps:

• Marinate over night Marinade: garlic 1tsp paprika, 1TBS hot sauce, vinegar, 1 C wine, & bay leaf Drain pork slices and lightly brown in 2 tsp oil & set aside Deglaze w/ rest of wine Add rest of paprika & rest of hot sauce Bring to boil and reduce to coating cosistency Return pork to pan and stir to coat well Separately carmelize onion Serve onions and pork as sandwich or plated w/ potatoes (?), pasta (?), or??