Picadillo

Today I had an inkling for a meal my Mom used to make all the time: Picadillo, Rice and Tostones. I am reminded of when my bff Tony and I used to stand in the kitchen and eat the tostones as they came out of the pan almost as fast as Mom could crank them out.

Picadillo is a traditional dish in many Latin American countries. Usually made with ground beef, the Cuban version features pimento stuffed Spanish olives, raisins and sometimes capers. I have watched my Mom make this a million times and my version is pretty close to hers. Easy to make and delicious. Enjoy!

1-1/2 lbs ground beef.
1 Tbsp olive oil
1/2 an onion, chopped
1 small bell pepper, chopped
2 cloves of garlic, minced
3/4 cup dry white wine
1/4 cup tomato sauce
1/4 cup ketchup
1/4 cup pimento stuffed olives
1/4 cup raisins
1 Tbsp capers (optional)
2 tsp salt
1 tsp ground black pepper
2 Tbsp fresh oregano (2 tsp dry)
2 tsp ground cumin
2 bay leaves
a pinch of sugar
a pinch of cinamon

In a 12" skillet on medium heat, brown the ground beef. Remove from pan and drain. Put aside.
In the same pan, heat olive oil and add bell peppers, onions and garlic. Sautee until onions are translucent.
Return the ground beef to the pan and combine with the onions, peppers and garlic. Stir in the rest of the ingredients until well incorporated. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 30 to 40 minutes. Remove bay leaves before serving. Serve with rice.

Serves four.