Brazilian Garlic Steak Plate (Filé Oswaldo Aranha)
Filé Oswaldo Aranha Say it: fee-LEH ohz-VAW-doo ah-RAHN-yah
Filé Oswaldo Aranha is Rio de Janeiro's signature steak plate, named after the Brazilian statesman Oswaldo Aranha, whose regular order it reportedly was. A thick fillet steak is seared and blanketed with golden fried garlic, then served with fluffy white rice, buttery toasted cassava farofa and crisp potato fries. It is a Sunday-lunch and celebration classic: plain, generous and deeply savory, with the fried garlic perfuming every bite.
Brazilian Garlic Steak Plate (Filé Oswaldo Aranha)
Filé Oswaldo Aranha
Pronounced fee-LEH ohz-VAW-doo ah-RAHN-yah
- Serves
- 4
- Prep
- 25 min
- Cook
- 40 min
- Total
- 1 hr 5 min
- Level
- Medium
Also nut-free and egg-free.
Allergens: contains milk. Check labels on packaged ingredients.
Ingredients
Amounts are scaled. Cooking times and pan sizes stay the same.
Steak and garlic
White rice
Farofa
Potatoes
Method
Pat the steaks dry, season both sides with the coarse salt and black pepper, and let them sit at room temperature for 20 minutes while you make the sides.
For the rice, heat the olive oil in a saucepan over medium heat, soften the onion for 3 minutes, add the garlic and cook 30 seconds until fragrant, then stir in the rice and toast for 2 minutes until it looks glossy and smells nutty.
Pour in the hot water, add the salt, bring to a boil, then cover, lower the heat and cook for 15 to 18 minutes, until the water is absorbed and the rice is fluffy; rest off the heat for 5 minutes, then fluff with a fork.
For the farofa, melt the butter in a wide pan over medium heat, soften the onion for 3 minutes, then add the cassava meal and stir constantly for 4 to 5 minutes, until it is golden, sandy and smells toasted; stir in the salt and parsley and set aside.
Heat the frying oil to 340°F (170°C) and fry the potato sticks in batches for 5 to 6 minutes, until pale gold; drain on paper towels, then raise the oil to 375°F (190°C) and fry them a second time for 1 to 2 minutes, until deep golden and crisp. Drain and salt.
Heat a heavy skillet over high heat with the olive oil until it shimmers. Sear the steaks for 2 to 3 minutes per side for medium-rare, until a deep brown crust forms and the meat gives slightly when pressed; transfer to a warm plate and rest for 5 minutes.
Lower the heat, add the butter and sliced garlic to the same skillet and fry for 1 to 2 minutes, until the garlic is pale golden and fragrant — do not let it brown.
Spoon the garlic and butter over the steaks. Serve at once with the rice, farofa and hot fries.
Regional variants
Some Rio restaurants add a fried egg on top of the steak or a spoonful of sautéed collard greens (couve refogada) alongside the rice; a little farofa is also often sprinkled over the rice and meat at the table.
Cook's notes
- Dry the steaks well and do not move them while searing; a dry surface is what gives the dark crust.
- Fry the garlic in butter over gentle heat, since burnt garlic turns bitter and the whole plate tastes of it.
- Double-frying the potatoes keeps them crisp while you finish the steaks.
Serve with
Serve with the rice, farofa and fries, plus a cold beer, a caipirinha or a glass of guaraná.
Make ahead and storage
Cook the farofa up to 2 days ahead and refrigerate; warm gently before serving. Refrigerate cooked rice and reheat with a splash of water. Fry the potatoes and sear the steaks just before serving.
