Pica-Pau
(pee-kuh-pow)
The Soul of the Kitchen: O Refogado & A Despensa
This isn't a precious, slow-simmered Sunday project—if you want to know what a traditional Lisbon tasca smells like at six o'clock on a Friday, this is it. Named "woodpecker" for the way friends gather around the platter to peck at savory bites with wooden toothpicks, the trick is dropping cubed beef into a smoking skillet with garlic, mustard, cheap white wine, and a jar of supermarket pickled cauliflower to deliver a deeply savory, sharp, and tender bite; whatever you do, leave the onions out—onions turn this into a different dish entirely. Leave the meat in the hot skillet and crack a cold beer.
Before you start
Dry the meat completely.
Moisture is the absolute enemy of a good sear; pat the beef cubes aggressively dry with paper towels.
Season at the very last second.
Toss the beef with the salt and pepper right before it hits the hot pan to prevent the salt from drawing out moisture.
Ingredients
- tender beef steak such as sirloin or chuck eye1 1/2 lb
- kosher salt1 tsp
- black pepper1/2 tsp
- olive oil2 tbsp
- neutral oil1 tbsp
- garlic cloves4 large
- dried bay leaves2 large
- dry white wine or light lager beer1/2 cup
- yellow mustard1 tbsp
- Worcestershire sauce1 tsp
- hot sauce1 tsp
- unsalted butter3 tbsp
- Chicago-style giardiniera1/2 cup
- black or green olives1/3 cup
- fresh parsley1 tbsp
Method
- 01
Sear the beef completely undisturbed.
Place a large, heavy skillet over high heat until smoking hot, add both oils, and drop in the beef cubes in a single layer. Step back and do not touch the pan for a full 90 seconds to build a dark, flavorful crust.
- 02
Bloom the aromatics.
Use tongs to quickly flip the beef pieces, immediately tossing in the smashed garlic cloves and bay leaves. Stir and let cook for exactly 1 minute until the garlic is intensely fragrant but not burnt.
- 03
Deglaze the pan.
Pour in the white wine or beer, which will hiss aggressively, and use a wooden spoon to scrape up all the browned bits from the bottom. Let the liquid bubble rapidly for 2 minutes until the harsh alcohol smell cooks off and the volume reduces by half.
- 04
Emulsify the sauce.
Stir in the mustard, Worcestershire, and hot sauce, then turn the heat down to low. Add the cold butter cubes and swirl the pan continuously until the butter melts, binding the meat juices and wine into a glossy, velvety sauce.
- 05
Warm the pickles and serve.
Remove the pan from the heat entirely to avoid overcooking the beef, which should remain tender and slightly pink in the center. Toss in the drained giardiniera and olives just to coat them in the warm sauce, keeping their essential crunch, then garnish with parsley and serve immediately with toothpicks and crusty bread.
Notes
The American pantry hack.
In Portugal, tascas use pickles variados, but standard American Chicago-style giardiniera provides the exact textural crunch of cauliflower and carrots needed to cut the rich beef fat. Just make sure to drain it well so the oil doesn't break your pan sauce.
Leave the onions out.
It's tempting to start with a traditional refogado, but real tasca-style Pica-Pau relies purely on garlic and bay leaf. Onions will steam the meat and turn this into an entirely different dish.