KC Los Angeles

With Father’s Day just around the corner, I thought it only fitting to share this family recipe in case you are looking for ideas on what to cook this weekend! Picadillo is a traditional dish in many Latin American countries, this Puerto Rican version is my fathers recipe and contains olives and capers. We traditionally had picadillo at Thanksgiving and Christmas, where it was either used as stuffing inside the turkey or served as a side dish along side rice and beans.

INGREDIENTS (Per pound of meat)

1 pound Ground Beef or Turkey

1 Onion

1 Green Pepper

2 Garlic Cloves

3 Bay Leaves

1 15 Ounce Can of Tomato Sauce

Capers and Olives (no pits)

Olive Oil, White Vinegar, Salt and Pepper

THE SOFRITO

Mince the garlic, onion and green pepper

Put 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large frying pan, when oil is warm add the garlic being careful not to let it burn.

Add the onion and pepper and sprinkle salt and pepper to taste. Stir until the mixture is mushy. This is an eyeball thing. You don’t want the onion and pepper al dente, and you don’t want to overcook it until its dry. When done, set aside.

THE MEAT

Put 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a separate frying pan. When warm, add the meat until it is browned. When done, place in a colander and drain the drippings.

THE FINALE

Warm the sofrito over a medium flame for  a brief moment, then toss in the browned meat and stir. Add the tomato sauce, bay leaves, capers, olives and 3 ounces of vinegar. Salt and pepper to taste. Stir thoroughly. When everything begins to bubble, simmer for 30-45 minutes.