Pica Pau

Pica Pau is a traditional Portuguese dish consisting of small pieces of marinated beef or pork, cooked in garlicky sauce and served with pickles or olives. It’s typically served as a petisco, or snack, and is often accompanied by crusty bread to soak up the sauce. The name “Pica Pau,” meaning “woodpecker,” is said to reference the way diners pick at the pieces of meat, similar to a woodpecker pecking at wood. This dish is a popular choice in Portuguese tavernas and is perfect for sharing.

I shared a pica pau with my friend Raquel by the beach in my show ‘Bom Dia Anne’, in which I travelled around Portugal to discover the local cuisine. You can watch the episode here.

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February 7, 2025

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Pica Pau

250g beef fillet
2 garlic cloves
125ml white wine
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
½ tsp Dijon mustard
15g butter, cold
Salt and pepper

Mixed pickles, to serve

Serves 2 as a little petisco dish

Cut the beef into bite-sized cubes and put in a bowl. Peel and crush one garlic clove, peel and slice the second garlic clove.

Add the cushed garlic to the beef. Season with salt and pepper and rub the seasoning into the meat. Add the wine and leave to marinate for 30 minutes.

After 30 minutes, heat the olive oil in a frying pan. Take the meat out of the marinade (keep the marinade) and fry until browned on all sides, for about 5 minutes.

Take the beef out of the pan and put on a plate.

Deglaze the pan with the wine marinade and cook for a couple of minutes, then add the Worcestershire sauce and mustard and continue cooking for another minute.

Add the butter and stir to make a glossy sauce.

Add the beef cubes back to the pan and swirl in the sauce, then put into a serving plate and garnish with pickled vegetables.

Serve with toothpicks.

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