Contra-filé al Vino Bianco Aglio e Pepe

Contra-filé al Vino Bianco Aglio e Pepe is a fusion dish that combines a Portuguese cut of beef, the contra-filé (similar to a sirloin strip steak), with an Italian preparation of white wine, garlic, and pepper. The name itself reflects this blend: “contra-filé” is Portuguese, while “al Vino Bianco Aglio e Pepe” is Italian for “with white wine, garlic, and pepper.”

The dish originated as a specialty at Associação Agrícola de São Miguel in Rabo de Peixe, Portugal, and was featured by the food guide Sentieri Golosi. This suggests a culinary dialogue between the Azorean island of São Miguel and Italian cooking traditions. The key ingredients are a high-quality cut of contra-filé, dry white wine, fresh garlic, cracked black pepper, and good olive oil. A great version is distinguished by a properly seared steak with a well-developed crust, then deglazed with white wine to form a light, savory pan sauce that is sharply seasoned with garlic and plenty of black pepper. The beef must be cooked to the ideal doneness—rare to medium-rare—so its natural juiciness balances the pungent wine reduction.

Regional variations are not widely documented outside this venue, but the dish could be adapted by substituting the white wine with a local Azorean vinho verde, adding herbs like parsley or oregano, or using different peppers such as piri-piri for heat. The essential character remains the marriage of Portuguese beef with a simple Italian white wine, garlic, and pepper sauce. According to Sentieri Golosi, Associação Agrícola de São Miguel presents this dish as a celebration of both local meat and Mediterranean flavors.