Tuesday, January 31, 2012

What’s for dinner?

Picadillo - (pronounced "pee-kah-dee-yo")

This is what Cubans do with ground beef instead of making hamburgers. There are many different versions of it, but this one is most authentic, so I hear:

2 Tbsp cooking oil
2 large garlic cloves, minced
1 large onion, chopped coarsely
S & P to taste
½ tsp MSG (I leave this out)
1 lb lean beef, ground
1/3 c dry, white wine (and some for the cook)
2 large ripe tomatoes, peeled and chopped (or one 15 oz. can chopped tomatoes)
½ c dark or light raisins, pumped up in hot water
1/3 c pimiento-stuffed olives, sliced in thirds
1 seeded green pepper chopped in half-inch squares (I leave this out)

In the oil, sauté the garlic and onion for five minutes, stirring frequently. Add the seasonings, the meat, the wine, and stir again. Add the tomatoes, raisins, olives and stir. Add green pepper and cook only long enough for it to get thoroughly hot; it should retain crispness and color.

One of Picadillo’s charms is that all the chopping and slicing can be done in advance, the cooking requiring only a few (10) minutes’ time. The Cubans serve this dish with plain white rice, either in a separate dish, or with the Picadillo on top of the rice and its juices trickling down. (Enough for 3-5 people)

Easy peasy and good, y’all!

5 comments:

Jean(ie) said...

oooh, my mouth is watering just reading this recipe. I'm going to have to try this!

Barb said...

...and some for the cook. hehehe.

We're having crock-pot chicken. So MotherDear has said it. So it shall be done.

big hugs from beautiful south jawjah (and one boogery boy) xoxo

Joy said...

If I put the tomatoes in the blender first so there were no visible chunks, left out the olives, and finely chopped a smaller amount of green peppers, it would probably be quite delicious! :-) You know me and tomatoes...and I lost my taste for green peppers when I was pg with my firstborn. Y'all enjoy it, I know you will.

ivana said...

Ciao Sandy!

I see this sauce with pasta, or polenta, or with potatoes purée!
Here is snowing since 1 pm, it's midnight now!
It's very cold!
Big hugs!

Haley D. said...

Blech! This is the torturous dish from my childhood that I could not STAND and that I remember having to choke down a bite, crying, to be excused. I am still not fond of olives, although I can take the raisins.

Joy and I will go OUT for dinner instead!