Picadillo
Serves 4 for dinner
I have a number of recipes for this dish. I like to pair fruit and meat so the version I make most often incorporates raisins or dried cranberries. You can make this with ground chilis or whole, and vary the hot peppers to taste. Mi Tierra has a good selection of hot peppers, which reminded me of the dish.
Picadillo is a refreshing change from the usual chili and it makes a great filling for tacos or wraps.
1 pound chopped beef or turkey
1 medium onion, minced fine
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon ground ancho chilis or 3 whole dried anchos or mulatos
1 teaspoon sweet paprika
¼ teaspoon hot Hungarian paprika or cayenne
½ bottle beer, preferably a dark amber beer
1 2-inch stick cinnamon, or ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 cloves
Salt and pepper to taste
¼ cup raisins or dried cranberries
¼ cup sliced almonds
If you are using them, toast the dried chilis in a frying pan until fragrant. Tear them into pieces and let them soak for 20 minutes in hot water. Blend the water and chilis in the small container of a blender.
Heat the oil in a 2-quart saucepan and saute the onion until it is transparent. Add the chopped meat and saute until cooked through, stirring to break up lumps. Add the chilis, paprika, cinnamon and cloves and cook for a couple of minutes more. Add the beer and simmer for 30 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste. The liquid should be almost gone. Add a little more beer or water if the mixture dries out too much. Add the raisins and almonds and simmer for another 10 minutes.
Serve with warm soft wheat tortillas, chopped lettuce and tomatoes, grated Cheddar cheese, sliced onions and pickled jalapeno slices.