adventurous: beef picadillo

Picadillo in its first stages

Picadillo after cooking down for 2 hours!

Beef picadillo over quinoa with some pico di gallo on the side

I made a bad choice the other day of going to get groceries on an empty stomach. MISTAKE MISTAKE. anyway, I went to a store in Evanston (I won't name names since I'm not here to promote any grocery retailers) and saw that a certain pasture raised grass fed ground beef was on sale. I DO NOT BUY GROUND BEEF. I think the last time I even contemplated it was when I was 17 and curious about burgers....and as you know I have a thing for ground turkey. I guess the hunger overtook me and I bought 1 1/2 pounds of it. As I checked out, looking at all my impulse buys, I asked myself WHY.

Anyway, I got home, devoured some sushi and tuna salad and looked at my package of ground beef. I kinda regretted it but then thought about all the wonderful things that do indeed taste better once beef is involved. Obviously, I thought about beef picadillo! So, I've had it as a ground beef taco filling type meat before and I remember enjoying it, so I decided to explore recipe options. I modified a Williams-Sonoma recipe and here is the result. It was sweeter and more acidic than I expected, but still yummy. I have given you the modifications to avoid this sweetness and acidity!

Beef Picadillo

1 Tbs. olive oil

2 yellow onion, chopped

1 ½ lb. lean ground beef chuck

4 garlic cloves, finely chopped

2 bay leaves

½ tspn cumin

1 ½ tspn. chili powder

¾ teaspoon ground cinnamon

½ teaspoon ground allspice

1 can (28 oz.) diced tomatoes with juices

1 ¾ cups stock

¼ cup raisins or currants

2 tablespoons tomato paste

3 tablespoons red wine vinegar

Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste

Suggested side: Quinoa or yellow saffron rice

1. heat olive oil over medium high heat in a deep pan (deep enough to hold all the meat and tomatoes- you'll be doing this all in one pan/pot) and add onions. Cook for 3-4 minutes and then add meat, garlic, and bay leaves. Cook until meat has browned. Pour off excess fat, if any.
2. Add in cumin, chili powder, cinnamon, and allspice next. Cook for one minute.
3. Stir in tomatoes, stock, raisins, tomato paste, and vinegar.
4. Allow to cook down for about 1.5 hours, or until most of the liquid has evaporated and you are left with a thick "sauce." Now, add salt and pepper to taste.
5. Serve over quinoa with a little pico di gallo. This is how I did it and it's lovely!


Exotic beef eating adventures are fun, try it if you eat meat.

yay
HK

meat craving- taco turkey burger with fiesta salad!

Hey all,

Since I'm doing this whole vegetarian two meals a day thing, I noticed I get really intense but semi random meat cravings. So, for that one meal when I indulge in meat, I want to make it count.
Last week I had such a craving for burgers. I really love burgers and I happened to have ground turkey and some select seasonings, and thought it was time to experiment with a taco turkey burger!

Taco Turkey Burger
(this is for two servings, so good for a date or for a relaxed dinner and easy packable lunch the next day)
8 ounces ground turkey- I prefer breast, 93/7
fairly small onion chopped up
3 cloves garlic minced
1 tablespoon oil of your choice
1-2 tablespoons chicken stock
1/2 packet of sason
1/2 -1 tablespoon of taco seasoning (depending on how salty and taco-ish you like it)
black pepper to taste

suggestions: serve on toasted sesame seed roll, like I did.
use a bit of black bean and corn salsa AND sliced avocado for that extra awesomeness, like I did.

this is what you do:
1. Mix the above ingredients together. Don't over work the meat. Be extra cool and let this mixture marinate overnight. it'll be a damn good burger if you have patience, but its damn good either way.
2. When you are ready to cook, split meat in half to form two patties. Shape them accordingly (thin if you want it to cook faster, thicker if your buns are...smaller? hehe )
3. Get a pan ready. Get out the big guns cast iron if you have one. If you are poor collegiate kid like me, get out the non stick. Coat with the thinnest, wispiest layer of cooking spray. When pan is moderately hot put that bad boy in.
4. Let the burger sear and cook on the first side for 4 minutes. Flip over and let it cook for 3 minutes on this side. It should be done by now....but if you are paranoid cut it open and check it. Really- you CANNOT eat a turkey burger any less than WELL DONE
5. Toast the buns/roll/starch you will put the burger on. Garnish with the black bean/corn salsa. Cut up an avocado if you are feeling fancy!!!
6. Eat and enjoy...if you feel a bit guilty eat this with a fiesta salad...

Fiesta Salad
your favorite salad mix
black beans (canned is fine, as long as you drain, rinse, and pat dry)
sweet corn
salsa
^mix it together and eat this with something that involves tacos; heck use this as a base and REPLACE the bun you carbophobe!!!!

Tabete,
HK