Picadillo
Without a doubt, picadillo is one of my favorite Cuban dishes. It is easy to make, packs a lot of flavor, and is ideal for parties in a number of ways: it is relatively cheap, can be served as an entree over rice, in a sandwich on Cuban bread, in empanadas, and so on.
Like so much great food, picadillo is a simple dish with unclear origins. One of the first times it was served was to the new emperor of Mexico in 1821, a fruity version with spicy pork served with walnut sauce inside a poblano pepper. I’m not sure which detail was more surprising: that the dish was made with pork and walnuts or that the leader of Mexico ever held the lofty title of emperor.
Versions of the dish spread around Latin America. It is especially popular in Mexico, Puerto Rico, and Cuba. Today, we’re dealing with the Cuban version, which is replete with the tangy flavors of olives, capers, white vinegar, red wine, and capers. I used the Columbia Restaurant’s recipe long before I became involved in documenting the restaurant’s history. I tweak it to maximize my favorite flavors (the Columbia’s recipe does not call for capers) and cut down the fat content.
Once again, I bypassed the robbery taking place at a supermarket near you— Publix is a flagrant offender, regularly charging $3.99 a pound for red/yellow/orange bell peppers. This dish requires a good deal of peppers, especially when you triple or quadruple the recipe as I usually do.
I went to the Sanwa market on Hillsborough Avenue, where prices are as low as three red peppers for one dollar. Take that, Publix!
Start by cooking 2 pounds of ground beef until just done. Drain pan of all but 1-2 tablespoons of grease and juices (add vegetable oil if necessary) and cook 1 cup diced onions and 2 bell peppers. When they are soft but not brown, add 2 cups canned whole tomatoes, drained and chopped (or 6 medium fresh ones), and 2 tbl minced garlic. I just added those ingredients in the photo above. Stir and cook until most liquid in the pan has evaporated, about 5-10 minutes.
Now the beef comes back into play, seasoned with 6 bay leaves, 1 tbl dried oregano, 1 tsp cumin, 1 tsp black pepper, and 1 tsp red pepper flakes. Throw all into the pot with the vegetables. Stir and cook for about 3 minutes, long enough for the spices to wake up.
Next, we really start layering in the flavors. Add 1/2 cup of pimiento-stuffed olives, 1 tbl white vinegar, 1/4 cup raisins, 1 small jar of capers, and 1/4 cup burgundy wine, cooking over low heat for about 15 minutes.
I usually add very little salt, as the olives and capers bring plenty of brine with them. In fact, if i want to add salt, I just drizzle some of the olive brine in.
Simple and rustic, but full of balanced and sophisticated flavors, picadillo is a great reminder that most good food percolates from the bottom up. This is not the stuff of fancy bistros, but is a respectable dish for company. For a hearty variation, add some additional liquid, like tomatoes, beef broth, and wine, and simmer the picadillo with cubes yucca, potato, or mix in a little sweet potato. If you want to go over the top, fry the potatoes.
I once ate a sandwich in Key West, in which picadillo had been encased in a large hollowed-out bun, sealed shut and dipped in egg batter, and deep fried. I had to at least try the thing, but i didn’t expect it to be awesome. It wasn’t. Lame picadillo, and the deep frying may have been novel, but it added nothing to the sandwich but a bunch of grease. I probably had two or three bites, and ate a real dinner instead.
December 28th, 2008 at 7:49 pm
An alternative recipe:
Picadillo (Columbia)
For the Meat
• 2 pounds sirloin tips_
• 1 medium yellow onion, quartered
• 2 large cloves garlic, quartered
• 1 large bay leaf
• 1 sprig fresh oregano
• 1 poblano pepper, split in half and seeded
• 1 Tablespoon sea salt
Cut the meat into large chunks, removing any excess fat. Brown meat in a large Dutch oven, about 5 minutes. Add the onion, poblano pepper, garlic, bay leaf, oregano, and salt. Cover with cold water and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Skim off any foam that collects on the surface. Lower the heat and allow the water to simmer about 45 minutes, until the meat is just tender. Take the pot off the stove and let the meat cool in the broth, about 20 minutes. Remove the pieces of meat and finely shred them. Strain and reserve the broth.
For the Picadillo
• 4 Tablespoons safflower or canola oil
• 1 large white onion, chopped
• 3 large cloves garlic, minced
• 1 poblano pepper, minced
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 cup raisins, soaked 10 minutes in warm water then drained
• 1 apple, peeled and chopped
• 2 large potatoes, peeled and diced
• 2 medium carrots, peeled and diced
• 1 green pepper, seeded and diced
• 3 large, ripe tomatoes, seeded and diced
• 1/2 cup green olives, diced
• 1 teaspoon merken mapuche spice (http://www.tuchileaqui.com/memaspchgo50.html) – or substitute chili powder
• 2 Tablespoons fresh cilantro, chopped
• 3 Tablespoons almonds, slivers
Cook white rice separately while cooking the Picadillo.
Heat the oil in a large, heavy skillet and sauté the onion and garlic over medium heat until they turn a pale gold. Stir in the broth and shredded meat and cook for 5 minutes. Add the cinnamon, pepper, raisins, Merken, olives, carrots, apple, potatoes, tomatoes, cilantro and additional salt to taste if desired. Continue cooking over medium heat until most of the moisture has evaporated. Stir often so that the mixture doesn’t stick. Remove from heat, cover and set aside.
Saute almond slivers in butter until golden brown. Mound the beef onto the center of a server platter and sprinkle with the almonds. Surround it with a border of white rice. The picadillo may be made 1 day in advance… if you can stand to wait that long to try it.