Recipes

 

Picadillo (Ground Beef and Potatoes) Recipe

Picadillo is a dish my mom would make as a weeknight meal served over white rice. It is still one of my favorite ways to prepare ground beef and the potatoes add a creamines that I love. This recipe can be prepped and cooked in about 30-45min. I prefer cooking this dish simmering on low for a few hours. The meat gets softer and the flavors develop even more.

Ingredients:

1 lb Ground Beef 

2 Tablespoons Sofrito 

1 Serrano or Jalapeño pepper

1 Potato 

Manzanilla Spanish Olives 

1 small can of tomato sauce or a 2-3 fresh tomatoes 

Cumin powder

(Makes 4-6 servings)

  1. Heat the skillet to medium high heat and once it is hot add ground beef.  The meat will release its fat which helps to brown. Break up any large pieces with wooden spoon and cook for about 8 minutes.  Once brown, add about 2-3 tablespoons of Sofrito plus 1 tablespoon of cumin powder. If you enjoy some spice, roughly chop your pepper and add to your meat as well.  

  2. Allow your meat mixture to cook for another 8 minutes on low to medium heat as all the ingredients come together.  You should be smelling the aromatics of the sofrito, pepper and cumin. Add 1 can of tomato sauce or chopped fresh tomatoes and add 5 olives with some brine.  Chop your potato in medium size dice and add as well. To prevent the mixture from sticking to the pan add about 1 cup of water or chicken stock and allow to simmer on low for 15 minutes.  

  3. Taste your picadillo and see if it needs anything at this point.  You can add more cumin or other spices you love. Maybe some more acid like lime or some freshness with cilantro. 

  4. You’ll know your picadillo is ready once the potatoes have softened.  Your mixture should be slightly saucy. Enjoy over rice, on tortillas or maybe on salad greens for a keto inspired meal.

Reminder that this recipe is very forgiving and acts as a good base so feel free to play around with flavors and add anything else you think would taste great.  Follow your taste buds!

MORO DE GUANDULES (RICE W/ PIGEON PEAS) Recipe

I wanted to share my Moro de Guandules recipe that takes about 45 minutes to prepare.  This rice and bean dish is well known in Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic and is paired with any protein from fried fish to stewed chicken and always with a side of plantains.  I love the unique taste of the pigeon peas.  Some people are afraid of making rice dishes and I totally understand!  I think my step by step process can help you build that confidence.  This dish is a perfect meal on its own or enjoyed with your favorite stewed anything!

Ingredients:
2 ½ cups long grain white rice
1 can Guandules/Pigeon Peas
1 small can tomato sauce
4-5 Manzanilla olives 
3 tablespoon oil 
3 tablespoon sofrito 
Small Red Onion chopped in chunky pieces 
Small Bell Pepper chopped in chunky pieces 
1 tablespoon Adobo or chicken bouillon 
1 ½ cups of water


1.  In a medium size pot on medium high heat, add about 3 tablespoons of oil.  When oil is hot, add 3 tablespoons of sofrito.  Stir sofrito around with a wooden spoon and cook for 1 minute.  Add olives, red onion, bell pepper, adobo or chicken bouillon and cook for another minute.  Add tomato sauce and 1 can of Guandules/pigeon peas along with bean juice and 1 ½ cup of water. Let mixture simmer for 10 minutes on medium heat making sure it is not rapidly boiling.  If so, adjust the heat to low.

2.   Rinse rice under cold water washing away all the starch.  I generally rinse the rice 3-4 times making sure the water runs clear.  Rinsing your rice prevents a mushy texture. So rinse!

3.   Add rice and stir mixture one time.  
Spoon Trick: To make sure you have a perfect amount of water, place your spoon in the middle of the pot.  If the spoon stands up on its own vertically there is a perfect amount of water and you are ready to cover with the lid.  If your spoon falls there is too much water.  In that case, take some liquid out.  If you are successful and spoon is steadily standing, cover with lid and turn down heat to low.  

4.   Rice should cook for 40 minutes on low heat.  Be patient and please do not open lid before this!  You don’t want any steam to escape from pot.  After the 40 minute mark, open and fluff rice with fork.  Rice granules should be fully cooked through and a beautiful yelllow brown color.  You are ready to serve!

The lovely part of this recipe is that it can be applied with a variety of different kinds of beans like black, pinto or red beans.  All of these would work and would be great to use. The Guandules have a unique flavor that’s distinct to Caribbean cooking so feel free to give it a try!  You’ll have no regrets.  Buen provecho!