Picadillo

Picadillo
I was first introduced to this beef hash during a visit to Key West when I dined at El Meson de Pepe on Mallory Square. It was my first experience with Cuban food, and I was immediately hooked! I later had the pleasure of eating it at The Columbia Restaurant in St. Augustine. This is a simple variation of this ground meat skillet dish, not as good as either of theirs...but still quite wonderful.

First, the essential sauce to flavor the meat:   

Sofrito

3 tablespoons olive oil
3 cloves of garlic
2 medium onions
1 green pepper, seeded
8 ounces tomato sauce
1/2 tsp oregano
2 tbps white vinegar
1/2 tsp cumin

In blender or food processor, puree onion and green pepper together. Set aside.  In a large skillet, heat the oil on medium-high. Add the garlic cloves and sauté until browned. Discard. Add the onion/pepper mixture to the oil, stir and cook for 5 minutes. Add the tomato sauce, oregano, vinegar, and cumin and continue to cook, stirring occasionally, for another 5 minutes until the sauce is a deep, rich red. This mixture is called sofrito, and it is used as the base for a number of Cuban dishes. Allow to cool.

Now for the meat!

Picadillo

2 pounds ground beef
couple of dashes of white wine (white vinegar can be substituted)
15 Spanish olives, stuffed with pimientos
1/3 cup seedless raisins
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
2 bay leaves
potato - cut into chunks and fried (optional)

In a bowl, mix together the sofrito with the ground beef.  Return to skillet, stir and cook for 5 minutes at medium-high heat.

Add olives, and raisins (and wine or vinegar), and season with salt and pepper. Allow to simmer until most of the liquid has been absorbed.

Serve over yellow rice with a couple chunks of fried potato. We usually eat it with a side of black beans liberally topped with chopped onion, and fried plantain if we can find it. This recipe makes 6-8 portions, depending on how much you love it or how many Cuba Libre you have consumed before sitting down for dinner.