Definition:
Filé à Oswaldo Aranha, one of Rio de Janeiro's best known dishes, is a tradition created by a Brazilian minister in the Getúlio Vargas government in the 1940s, when Rio de Janeiro was still the capital of Brazil.
Like many other politicians of his time, Oswaldo Aranha liked having lunch at Cosmopolita, a Lapa restaurant opened in 1926 which used to be called Senadinho ("Little Senate") during the Vargas government thanks to its clientele.
Oswaldo Aranha always ordered a thick slab of filet mignon, prepared in a frying pan with sliced garlic and served with sliced potatoes, farofa and plain white rice.
Today, the filet that takes his name is still prepared the same way and served at Cosmopolita and several other Rio de Janeiro restaurants.
Pronunciation: fi-LET a os-VAL-do a-RAH-ña
