Pan-Juice Francesinha with Hand-Cut Fries

Method

1. Heat half the oil in a heavy 20 cm pot, add the linguiça and fresh sausages split lengthwise and cook on medium heat for 7 min, until deeply browned and the fresh sausages are cooked right through. Lift the meats out and leave the browned bits and fat in the pot: they are the flavour base of the sauce.

   Add in this stepSmoked linguiça (or chorizo) 120 gFresh pork sausages 2Vegetable oil 1½ tbsp

   medium heat

2. Add the chopped onion and garlic to the same pot and cook on medium heat for 5 min, then add the tomato paste and keep stirring until it darkens to a brick red.

   Add in this stepOnion 1Garlic cloves 3Tomato paste 2 tbsp

   medium heat

3. Turn off the heat and pour in the brandy (always with the heat off so it can't catch fire), scraping the bottom. Add the beer, stock, passata, bay leaves, chillies and Worcestershire sauce, bring back to a boil on high heat, then turn down to medium-low heat and reduce uncovered for 28 min, until almost halved and a deep red-brown.

   Add in this stepBrandy 30 mlLager beer 250 mlBeef stock 250 mlTomato passata 120 mlBay leaves 1Dried red chillies 1Worcestershire sauce 1½ tsp

   high heat→medium-low heat

4. Remove the bay leaves and chillies, blend, then press through a fine sieve back into the pot. Stir in the cornstarch mixed with 2 tablespoons of cold water and simmer on medium heat for 3 min, until thick, then turn off the heat. Whisk in the cold butter a little at a time for a glossy sauce and season with 40% of the salt. Keep warm on low heat without boiling.

   Add in this stepCornstarch 1½ tspCold butter 25 gSalt ¼ tsp

   medium heat

5. Switch on the oven. Cut the potatoes into 1 cm sticks, rinse in cold water to remove starch and dry them completely. Fill a deep pot no more than a third full with frying oil, heat on medium heat to 160 °C · 1× (temperature · batches) using a thermometer, and fry the potatoes for 6 min, until soft but not coloured. Drain on a rack. Wet potatoes make oil spit, so dry them well, and if the oil ever catches fire, cover it with a lid; never use water.

   Add in this stepFloury potatoes 500 gOil for deep-frying 1½ L

   medium heat

6. Season the steak with 30% of the salt and pepper, heat a quarter of the oil in a frying pan on high heat and sear 1 minute per side, 3 min in total, then rest for 2 minutes. In ovenproof deep plates, stack bread, ham, linguiça, sausage, steak, ham and bread, and cover the top and sides with cheese.

   Add in this stepBeef tenderloin or sirloin steak (1 cm thick) 240 gSalt ¼ tspBlack pepper to tasteVegetable oil ¾ tbspThick white sandwich bread slices (1.5 cm) 4Sliced ham 4Good melting cheese slices 8

   high heat

7. Bake in the preheated oven at 220 °C for 6 min, until the cheese melts and runs down the sides.

   oven

8. Meanwhile heat the frying oil on high heat to 190 °C · 1× (temperature · batches) and fry the potatoes again for 2 min, until crisp and golden; drain and sprinkle with the remaining salt. At the same time, fry the eggs in the remaining oil in a small pan on medium heat for 3 min. Top each sandwich with an egg, pour the hot sauce around and serve with the fries.

   Add in this stepSalt ¼ tspEggs 2Vegetable oil ¾ tbsp

   high heat→medium heat