Hawa Hassan's Steak Prego Rolls with Piri Piri Sauce

"These sandwiches are best made on an outdoor grill," says the chef and author of In Bibi's Kitchen. "But if you don't have one, just cook the steak in a ripping-hot cast-iron pan!"

Photo: Jennifer Causey

"These sandwiches are best made on an outdoor grill," says the chef and author of In Bibi's Kitchen. "But if you don't have one, just cook the steak in a ripping-hot cast-iron pan!"

Hawa Hassan's Steak Prego Rolls with Piri Piri Sauce

1/2 cup lime juice (from 4 limes)

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

2 Tbsp. minced fresh ginger

1 Tbsp. granulated sugar

10 red Fresno chiles, stemmed, seeded and coarsely chopped

2 Tbsp. minced garlic, divided

1 1/4 tsp. plus a pinch of kosher salt, divided

1 lb. skirt steak or flank steak (about 1-in. thick), trimmed

4 Tbsp. unsalted butter, melted

4 Portuguese rolls or split-top dinner rolls, split horizontally

1. Process lime juice, oil, ginger, sugar, chiles, 4 teaspoons of the garlic and 1 teaspoon of the salt in a blender until smooth, about 2 minutes, to make Piri Piri sauce. Set aside.

2. Place steak and 1/2 cup of the sauce in a large ziplock plastic bag. Seal, and massage steak and sauce together in bag. Let marinate at room temperature 15 minutes or in fridge up to 24 hours.

3. Preheat a gas or charcoal grill to medium (350° to 400°). Remove steak from marinade, letting excess drip off; discard marinade and bag. Place steak on oiled grates; grill, covered, turning occasionally, until charred in spots and cooked until desired doneness, about 3 minutes per side for medium-rare. Transfer steak to a cutting board. let rest 10 minutes. Keep grill on for rolls.

4. While steak rests, stir together melted butter, a pinch of salt and 2 teaspoons garlic in a small bowl. Spoon garlic butter evenly over cut sides of rolls. Place rolls, cut sides down, on oiled grates; grill, uncovered, until golden brown, about 1 minute. Transfer rolls to a platter.

5. Thinly slice steak against the grain, and divide among bottom roll halves. Sprinkle with 1/4 teaspoon salt. Drizzle each portion with 2 tablespoons Piri Piri sauce (reserve remaining sauce for another use); replace top bun halves. Serve immediately.

Quick tip! Don't have Fresno chiles? Try jalapenos instead. "Fresno chiles aren't quite as hot, so only use three fresh jalapenos instead of the 10 called for in the recipe," says Hassan.

Serves: 4

Active time: 20 minutes

Total time: 40 minutes