Picadillo Recipe

Picadillo Recipe photo by Taste of Home

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Like most traditional recipes, there are numerous variations...and this is my version of a Cuban classic. For added convenience, I adapted it for the slow cooker.—Sanford Brown, Big Pine Key, Florida

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Picadillo Recipe

Prep: 30 min. Cook: 4-1/2 hours

Yield: 8 Servings

30 270 300

Ingredients

2 large onions, chopped
2 tablespoons olive oil
3/4 cup white wine or beef broth
2 pounds lean ground beef (90% lean)
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With Johnsonville Italian Sausage.
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1-1/4 cups crushed tomatoes
1 can (8 ounces) tomato sauce
1/3 cup tomato paste
4 garlic cloves, minced
2 teaspoons dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 cup raisins
1 medium green pepper, chopped
3/4 cup pimiento-stuffed olives, coarsely chopped
2 tablespoons chopped seeded jalapeno pepper
Hot cooked brown rice

Directions

In a large skillet, cook onions in oil over low heat for 15-20 minutes or brown, stirring occasionally. Add wine; cook and stir 2 minutes longer. Transfer to a 3- or 4-qt. slow cooker.
In the same skillet, cook beef over medium heat until no longer pink. Add to slow cooker. Combine the tomatoes, tomato sauce, tomato paste, garlic and seasonings; pour over top. Cover and cook on low for 4-6 hours or until heated through.
Place raisins in a small bowl. Cover with boiling water; let stand for 5 minutes. Drain. Stir the green pepper, olives, jalapeno and raisins into the slow cooker. Cover and cook 30 minutes longer. Serve with rice. Yield: 8 servings.

Editor's Note: Wear disposable gloves when cutting hot peppers; the oils can burn skin. Avoid touching your face.

Nutritional Facts 1 cup (calculated without rice) equals 331 calories, 14 g fat (4 g saturated fat), 56 mg cholesterol, 685 mg sodium, 27 g carbohydrate, 4 g fiber, 24 g protein.

Originally published as Picadillo in Taste of Home's Holiday & Celebrations Cookbook Annual 2010, p229

Caramelizing Onions

To make caramelized onions, saute sliced onions in 1 to 2 tablespoons of olive oil or butter (or 1 tablespoon of each) and 1 teaspoon of sugar per onion. Cook and stir occasionally over low heat for 15-20 minutes or until onions are golden brown and tender.

You can slice a bunch of onions at once. Cut onions into uniform shapes and thicknesses to ensure they will cook evenly. Onions shrink as they cook, losing about 2/3 of their volume as the water evaporates, so slice more than you think you'll need.

Onions can be caramelized a day in advance. Cool, cover and refrigerate. The next day, reheat and serve.