What's Cookin'---Picadillo

Picadillo is a dish mainly consisting of ground beef (sometimes shredded beef or chicken) typically found in Cuba, Mexico, and other Latin American countries. In Mexico it is sometimes used as a filling, such as for tacos, and can be mixed with vegetables. It can also be prepared as a type of stew. In most other Latin American countries it consists of a common table from where people pick small beef pieces or other food such as french fries. The name comes from the Spanish word, "picar" which means "to chop". Picadillo is a traditional dish in many Latin American countries; it's made with ground meat, tomatoes, and regional ingredients. The Cuban version includes olives and on occasion capers, omits chili powder, and is usually served with black beans and rice. The classic recipe uses ground meat, boiled and cubed potatoes, raisins, slivered almonds, diced olives, allspice, salt, pepper, chopped serrano or jalapeno pepper, and sometimes a little chili powder. This is all slowly simmered and served with hot flour tortillas.

-wiki-

Here in the Philippines we eat it with rice. There are so many ways to make this recipe your own. Picadillo is also good stuffed in any large bell pepper of your choice, topped with cheese (let the microwave do it's thing for 3-5 mins).

This particular dish is one of my favorites prepared by my grandmother. My mother-in-law has her version of Picadillo too (which is in Oyster sauce). Now, I gathered the available ingredients from my pantry and crisper.

What You Will Need:

4 pcs. medium potatoes (cut into cubes)

1 red bell pepper (sliced about an inch long and half inch thick)

4 cloves of garlic (minced)

1 medium onion (chopped)

1 K Lean ground Pork or ground sirloin

2 tbsp. olive oil

salt and pepper to taste

2 tbsp raisins

1C water

Sauces: You can choose from any of these:

I used this Ragu Old Fashioned Spaghetti sauce.

Tomato Sauce:

1 (227 g pouch plain tomato sauce)

1 (250g Filiino Style tomato sauce)

If you have this same dilemma as mine...

a 1/2 C of any tomato based sauce of your choice will do.

Fresh Tomatoes: Of couse this is the best option. 5 ripe (red) medium sized tomtotoes (sliced)

Oyster Sauce: 2 tbsp.

Note: sauce measurement good for 1K of ground meat

How To:

Saute garlic in olive oil until medium brown
Add the onions and diced potatoes
Add ground meat simmer for a few seconds
Mix it all together
Add water
Simmer for 7 mins or until potatoes and meat are cooked

Add the tomato sauce

note: for fresh tomatoes, just saute it with the onions and continue with the How To

Simmer for another 4mins

Add the bell pepper & raisins
Add water if necessary
Salt and pepper to taste

note: you can also add a little sugar to balance the taste.

Enjoy! and have a Delicious week!

Big Hugs!