The Dish: Veal Fillet with Cabbage and Maize Bread

There is a lot to be excited about when it comes to Lisbon's culinary offerings: from the expertly prepared seafood you can expect to find in even the smallest hole-in-the-wall to the nearly ubiquitous pasteis de nata custard tarts or the ginginha do carmo sold at the base of the Elevador de Santa Justa. However, you would be remiss not to visit Aura Lounge Cafe. On warm days, the tables outside offer spectacular views of the surrounding Praça do Comércio square and Tagus River and, inside, a chicly intimate eatery perfect for a night out. Its menu, under the direction of Chef Duarte Mathias (below), highlights traditional Portuguese cuisine with a sophisticated, modern flair like the succulent octopus in rosemary olive oil served with sauteed turnip tops or the veal fillet with cabbage and maize bread.

Veal fillet with cabbage & maize bread

Ingredients

200 g beef (veal fillet)
100 g potatoes sliced ​​and cooked with the skin
25 g black-eyed peas
50 g cabbage
3 tbsp olive oil
coriander
2 cloves garlic
salt
pepper
roasted corn bread 1 slice (undone)
thyme
paprika
1 tsp red wine vinegar
bay leaf

Preparation

Cabbage & maize bread: Sauté the primor potatoes, the cabbage, the black-eyed peas and corn bread in olive oil. Season with salt, pepper and thyme.
When finished, spoon into a 8 cm-diameter ring and press down firmly. Remove the ring.

Meat: Add only salt to taste before grilling the meat. Place the fillet on the already prepared cabbage.

For the sauce: Brown the garlic in olive oil with bay leaf. Remove from heat. Add the vinegar, coriander and paprika. Rectify the flavors (salt and pepper). Finally pour the sauce over the meat.

Ready to serve.