Francesinha sandwich with lager sauce
- Prepare
- less than 30 mins
- Cook
- 10 to 30 mins
- Serve
- Serves 4–6
- Dietary
- Nut-freePregnancy-friendly
A bold take on the Portuguese steak sandwich. Layers of sirloin, smoky sausage and ham are sealed under melting cheese and finished with a rich, spicy beer sauce. It’s messy, indulgent and best eaten with a knife and fork.
Ingredients
For the Wrexham lager sauce
- 2 tbsp butter
- 1 onion, finely chopped
- 20g/¾oz piri-piri spice mix (medium heat)
- 2 tsp tomato purée
- 2 tsp garlic paste
- 2 tbsp plain flour
- 500ml/18fl oz light hopped lager
- 250ml/9fl oz passata
- 500ml/18fl oz good-quality chicken stock
- 50ml/2fl oz apple cider vinegar
- 2 tsp Dijon mustard
- 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- salt and freshly ground black pepper
For the sandwiches
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 4 sirloin steaks (about 200g/7oz each)
- 25g/1oz unsalted butter
- 4 linguiça-style pork sausages (about 150g/5½oz each)
- 8 thick slices farmhouse-style bread
- 4–8 slices roasted ham
- 4 generous slices mozzarella, provolone or gruyère
- chips, to serve (optional)
- 4 free-range eggs, fried (optional)
Method
To make the sauce, melt the butter in a large saucepan over a medium heat. Add the onion and cook for 6–8 minutes until softened.
Stir in the piri-piri spice mix, tomato purée and garlic paste. Cook for 2 minutes.
Add the flour and stir to form a paste. Cook for 2–3 minutes, stirring constantly.
Gradually whisk in the lager until smooth. Add the passata and chicken stock, whisking constantly and bring to a simmer.
Reduce the heat and gently simmer for 25–30 minutes, until slightly thickened and glossy.
Stir in the apple cider vinegar, Dijon mustard and Worcestershire sauce. Season with salt and pepper. Keep warm.
To cook the steaks and sausages, heat the olive oil in a frying pan over a high heat. Season the steaks with salt and pepper and cook for 2–3 minutes on each side for medium-rare, or until cooked to your liking.
Add the butter during the final minute and baste the steaks. Rest for 5–10 minutes, then slice thinly.
Preheat a grill to medium. Cook the sausages for 12–15 minutes, turning regularly, until cooked through. Slice lengthways. Leave the grill on.
To assemble, lightly toast the bread on both sides.
On four slices of toast, layer the ham, sliced steak and sausages. Top with the remaining bread. Repeat this process with all the bread, to make 4 sandwiches.
Put the sandwiches on a baking tray and cover each one completely with cheese.
Grill for 3–5 minutes, until the cheese is melted and bubbling.
Spoon over the hot lager sauce and serve immediately with chips and a fried egg on top, if using.
