July 20th, 2012
The Spanish word “picar” means to “mince” or “chop”…..A picadillo is just that; everything is either minced or chopped. It is made with spices, tomato sauce, raisins, olives, garlic, and pretty much, beef is what it is used.
The plantains are so versatile. They are from the banana family; they are a starch, but they do have less sugar than the banana. When they are green they are used to make “tostones” and “mofongo”. But as they ripen, they can be stuffed and even made into a dessert.
Considered a comfort food for so many that have plantains available year-round.
So, there I was looking at two ripe but firm plantains with spots on them. They were not totally ripe, which is exactly how you want them when making Stuffed Canoes. Green plantains are my favorite but I was not going to let these ones go to waste.
The first thing you need to do is peel them. They are much easier than the green ones. A few slits here or there and the skin comes off.
Deep fry them until a golden color. Drain on paper towels and then put aside until ready to stuff.
As I was looking for items to make the picadillo I had to do with what I had on hand. So, basically, the picadillo was made with pork sausage. Actually, it turned out pretty good.
My recipe for Picadillo is called “What kind of Picadillo is that?
2 tablespoons Olive Oil
1/2 lb. pork sausage (I used Jimmy Dean, which is gluten free.)
1/4 cup chopped onion
1/4 cup sliced manzanilla olives with pimiento
1/4 cup chopped sun dried tomatoes in oil
4 ounces of tomato sauce
A few dashes of Tabasco (optional)
Pepper to taste
A couple of ounces of Velveeta Cheese chopped
Grated Parmesan (about 1/4 cup)
Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees.
In a frying pan, add the Olive Oil, heat and add the pork sausage. Cook for a few minutes and then add the onion. Continuing cooking until sausage is totally crumbled and the onion is soft.
Add manzanilla olives, sun dried tomatoes, and stir.
Add tomato sauce, pepper and Tabasco. Stir and remove from heat.
Add the Velveeta Cheese. Mix it in. (If you want to add another kind of cheese, you know what to do.)
Make a slit in each plantain from top to bottom but careful not to go completely through. You will find that the plantain is very pliable. It will give as you stuff it. Put enough picadillo, just like in the picture.
Then, sprinkle Parmesan cheese on top.
Bake for about 20 minutes or until completely heated through.
To serve you can do several things. You can give one to each person, which looks nicer, or just a half. You can serve it with a green salad. The colors would be really nice.
Make them your own. Remember I just kept adding ingredients that I usually like when cooking. I did not have raisins but I would add a couple of tablespoons, as well.
Enjoy them. It is a good combination. The sweetness of the plantains with all those other ingredients make them “deliciosos”.
Have a good one!!
February 7th, 2012
Picadillo is one of those easy recipes that can be so easily adapted to your own liking. A little bit of this and a little bit of that. Don’t like raisins, or green olives, or capers, then leave them out, but you might be missing something. I hope you do like garlic, though, because is essential to Latin cooking.
I usually make this dish when I don’t know what else to cook; it is always different; but prettty tasty.
Picadillo is a Cuban style hash. Really, that’s all it is. The picture above is of the picadillo eaten by a friend the other day at Cabana’s located on Atlantic Avenue in Delray Beach. I, of course, had their pollo asado, which was great.
Following is such an easy recipe, just serve the picadillo over rice; your choice. Plantains and a salad and you have a meal.
Picadillo (Cuban Hash)
1 cup chopped onion
1 cup, green pepper, also chopped
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 cloves of garlic, minced (if you want more, you know what to do)
1 lb. ground beef
1 large tomato, chopped (use canned if you want to)
A little tomato sauce (to give it more of a sauce, use your judgement)
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
1 teaspoon oregano
1/4 cup chopped green olives
a handful of raisins
salt and pepper to taste
In a large frying pan saute onion and green pepper in olive oil, until the onion is softened. Add the garlic and ground beef.
Break down the beef and mix well with the onion and green pepper. Cook until it browns for about 5 minutes.
Add the tomatoes, tomato sauce, cumin, cinnamon, cloves, and oregano. Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer for about 15 minutes. You want the ingredients to slowly give that flavor to the beef.
Note: In Cuba black beans, in Puerto Rico, definitely red beans would accompany this dish. In a rush? Open the cans of beans, add a little tomato sauce, garlic, olive oil , bay leaf and cook slowly for about 15 minutes. Adjust seasonings and that’s all that is to it!
This recipe is gluten free. Always make sure that if using canned products, you check the labels or call the manufacturer.
Serve and enjoy!! How easy was that?
September 23rd, 2010
I am still trying to master cooking with plantains; a versatile vegetable used in a lot of the Latin cuisine.
So, I had some ripe plantains in my house and decided to make a Pinon. This a Puertorican traditional dish. It is basically a lasagna using plantains instead of noodles.
Still peeling and then slicing them lenthwise is tricky. I would like to be able to slice them thin but it is hard. Then, you have to fry them until they reach a golden color.
The word Picadillo means chopped; the ground beef, onions, olives, and everything you want to add to the meat.
I had to sit down and write the recipe because it was one of those that you add a little bit of this and a little bit of that. Oh, let’s try that spice or let me add more raisins, you know, making it your own. So, here it goes.
Pinon de Carne
5 ripe plantains (yellow skin)
oil for frying
2 tbps. olive oil
1 onion chopped
1 green pepper chopped or a red one
1 garlic clove or a tsp. of garlic powder
1 tsp. oregano
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
1 lb. ground beef
1/2 cup sliced olives with minced pimientos
8 ounces tomato sauce
pepper to taste
salt, optional
1/2 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
2 small boxes of raisins
1 can french style green beans
4 eggs
Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees.
Peel plantains and cut lengthwise. Fry them in the oil until golden. Take out and place on paper towels to drain.
Frying plantains
Ready to take them out
In a separate frying pan put the olive oil and add onion, pepper, garlic, oregano, cilantro, cinnamon, cumin and any other spices that you might like to add.
Sautee for about 5 minutes.
Then add ground beef and break it down as it cooks. Add olives, tomato sauce, 1/2 of the canned beans and raisins.
Cook for another 5 minutes or longer until it becomes a “picadillo”.
Picadillo
Taste and season to your liking.
Grease a 12 x 71/2 x 2 baking dish. Beat 2 of the eggs and place on the bottom of the baking dish. Arrange 1/2 of the plantains on top of the egg mixture. Then put 1/2 of the picadillo and spread, pat it down, and then the rest of the canned beans on top.
Once that is done then arrange the rest of the plantains, beat the eggs and put that mixture on top of the plantains. The idea is that when it bakes the eggs will hold everything together and you will be able to slice it without crumbling.
Ready for the oven
Place it in the oven for about 30 minutes or so.
Ready
Serve with a green salad and you have dinner.
Serving piece
Remember cooking comes from your heart….Talk to you later….
Note: To make a Gluten Free recipe always read the labels.
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