Piccadillo

This is another family favorite, Piccadillo. It is a Cuban dish packed with a delicious flare of flavor. It is salty, tart, sweet and totally satisfying.  Your mouth will wake up and say, "THANK YOU!" I have made this dish through the years with ground chicken or beef. This time I had a big chunk of beef brisket in my freezer and needed to zap it up with some sort of excitement. My menu for the week had Piccadillo on it but I thought, "Hmmmm wonder what Piccadillo would taste like with the brisket slow cooked." Then...Voila! YUM happened. I hope you enjoy it as much as we did. This recipe is in the cookbook I made for my kids. I have made some modifications since it was printed. Here is the updated version. If you are slow cooking a brisket see the notes in (    ). If the sauce is too salty, cut back on the capers, olives and add a bit more water. 

Picadillo    

2 Tbls olive oil
(juice of 1/2 lemon) 

2 lb ground chicken or beef (2-3 lb beef or pork brisket)

1 can tomato paste 

2-3 Tbls capers 

3/4 - 1 cup sliced green olives

1 large onion chopped

2-3 cloves garlic minced 

1 green pepper chopped

1 bay leaf (optional)

1 tsp Worcestershire sauce (2 tsp Dijon mustard and 2 tsp coconut amino's or soy sauce)

1/2 cup dry red wine (1 cup red wine)

1/2 cup water (2 cups water)

1/2 cup of raisins (10 pitted dates chopped)

Salt and pepper to taste (only for browning meat)

Parsley or Cilantro/Coriander

Piccadillo ground beef or chicken directions: In a large skillet over medium heat add olive oil and sauté, garlic, onion, green pepper and bay leaf for about 5 minutes. Add the ground meat and brown. Turn heat down to medium low. Add the tomato paste, wine, capers, Worcestershire sauce (or substitute), green peppers and water. Bring to a slight boil, and reduce temperature again to a simmer. Cover and cook for about 30 minute. If the liquid is absorbed, add more water 1/4 cup at a time. After the 30 minutes, remove the lid, add the sliced olives and the raisins and cook, uncovered, in a slow simmer for another 10 minutes. This is great with rice but for a substitute serve with cauli-rice.

Piccadillo slow cook crock pot beef or pork brisket directions: 
In a large skillet over medium/high heat add olive oil. Slice brisket into 2 inch slices. lay slices of meat in fry pan and coat meat on both sides with olive oil, pepper, and a smidge of salt. Brown on each side about 5 min. Add lemon juice, garlic and onions while meat is browning. Turn crock pot on high and add water, wine, tomato paste, dijon, and coconut amino's. When meat is browned, place in crock pot with liquid covering. Scoop out the garlic and onions and mix in with the meat and liquid mixture. Cover and cook on high for 2 hours. Add capers and green peppers and turn on low for 4 hours. Check meat to make sure it falls apart. Add sliced olives. Make rice or cauli-rice. Serve in a bowl cauli-rice, meat goodness, and garnish with raisins or dates and parsley or cilantro. I cooked this meat a bit longer about a total of 8 hours.

Gluten Free and Paleo friendly meal. Enjoy!
Substitute rice and soy sauce