Olivier de Costa shares recipe for perfect Portuguese steak

  • EXCLUSIVE: Olivier da Costa shares his foolproof method for cooking steak
  • He says allow the meat to be at room temperature and cut it into 3mm slices
  • He also shares his favourite recipes for typical Portuguese dishes

You can find steak on almost any restaurant menu around the world but it is notoriously tricky to perfect the cooking of this meat at home.

Now Portuguese celebrity chef Olivier da Costa, who owns seven restaurants in Lisbon and one in São Paulo, has shared his foolproof seven-step method for cooking steak that will guarantee perfect cooking every time.

He’s also shared two recipes for classic Portuguese dishes, including game sausages topped with a fried quail egg and Bacalhau, aka salted cod fish.

Chef Olivier da Costa has revealed how to make the perfect steak and he recommends slicing it up into 3mm to 5mm slices

For the perfect steak, chef Olivier, who opened his first restaurant in 1996, says you should allow the meat to come to room temperature before cooking.

He says a hot pan on the stove is key to a good sear, and says it will be especially juicy if you cut it into precise 3mm to 5mm slices after it’s done.  

Olivier, who owns a specialist steak restaurant called K.O.B which stands for Knowledge of Beef, adds that for a rare steak, you only need to cook it for just two to three minutes each side.

He’s also shared two of his most popular signature dishes from his restaurant empire: game sausages, and bacalhau, which is a Portuguese staple.

Olivier da Costa’s recipe for the perfect steak

Serve steak with buttered greens and mustard for a perfect meal, says Olivier

Serve steak with buttered greens and mustard for a perfect meal, says Olivier

1. Remove meat and place at room temperature before you season and cook.

2. Season the meat with coarse salt, pepper, herbs and then brush with olive oil.

3. Pre-heat a grill pan. It is essential that the grill pan is very hot.

4. Grill the steak to your taste. I recommend 2-3 minutes each side for rare, and a minute extra on top of that if you like your steak more well done. 

5. Cut into 3 to 5mm slices. This will ensure the meat’s juices flow.

6. Keep the meat slices together in the shape of the original steak before it was cut.

7. If necessary, put the meat back in the ban to recover the temperature. Serve with whole peppercorns.

Olivier da Costa (pictured) has seven restaurants as well as several others that are run under his name

Olivier da Costa (pictured) has seven restaurants as well as several others that are run under his name

Recipe: Game sausages with quail eggs

Olivier's game sausages topped with quail eggs are one of his signature dishes. He reveals how to make them in your own kitchen

Olivier’s game sausages topped with quail eggs are one of his signature dishes. He reveals how to make them in your own kitchen

Serves four 

Ingredients:

2 game sausages

4 cabbages (preferably Portuguese) 

4 quail eggs 

1 clove of garlic

Olive oil

Salt and black pepper

Method:

1. Heat the oil and fry the game sausages until cooked.

2. Boil the cabbages before sauteeing them with the olive oil and garlic.

3. Fry the quail eggs until done.

4. Roll cabbage leaves around the sausages and cut them into bite-sized chunks. Place a fried quail eggs on top of each roll.

Recipe: Bacalhau/Grilled salted cod

Bacalhau is one of the most famous Portuguese dishes. Olivier reveals how you can make it at home

Bacalhau is one of the most famous Portuguese dishes. Olivier reveals how you can make it at home

Ingredients:

4 salted cod fillets (buy from a specialist or salt your own cod)

100ml of olive oil 

12 small new potatoes 

1 onion, chopped into slices

Parsley  

Salt and black pepper 

Method:

1. Roast the new potatoes for 40-50 minutes in the oven at about 200C.

2. Grill the salted cod until cooked.

2. Meanwhile heat the olive oil with the garlic and then cover the cod fish with the garlic oil (you can serve this separately on the side if you prefer).

3. Put the slices and herbs on top of each fillet.

4. Once the potatoes are cooked, smash them gently and season with salt and black pepper. Serve with the cod fillet.  

Olivier’s flagship restaurant Avenida is in Rua Júlio César Machado, 7, AVANI Avenida Liberdade Lisbon Hotel. Visit: restaurantesolivier.com. Olivier restaurants are in partnership with Complicity cars.

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