---------- Recipe via Meal-Master (tm) v8.02
  
       Title: PICADILLO
  Categories: Meats, Latin, Usenet
       Yield: 6 servings
  
       3 tb Olive oil or
            -vegetable oil
       2 lb Ground beef, lean
       1 lg Onion, finely chopped
       1    Garlic clove,
            -finely chopped
       3 md Tomatoes, peeled
            -and chopped
       2    Tart cooking apples,
            -peeled, cored
            -and chopped
     1/2 c  Almonds, slivered
       1    Jalapeno chili, seeded
            -and chopped (or more
            -to taste)
     1/2 c  Raisins (soaked 10
            -minutes in warm water)
     1/2 c  Pimento-stuffed olives,
            -halved crosswise
     1/2 ts Oregano
     1/2 ts Thyme
            Salt
            Pepper
       1 tb Butter
  
   Heat the oil in a large, heavy skillet.  Add the beef and saute until it is
   lightly browned, stirring to break up any lumps.  Add the onion and garlic
   and saute for 5 minutes longer. Add all the remaining ingredients except
   the butter and the almonds. Mix well and simmer, uncovered, over moderate
   heat, stirring from time to time, for 20 minutes.
   
   In a small skillet, heat the butter and saute the almonds until they are
   golden brown.
   
   Mound the beef onto a serving platter and sprinkle with the almonds.
   Surround it with a border of rice.
   
   NOTES:
   
   *  Latin-American seasoned chopped beef -- I got this recipe from net.cooks
   in the fall of 1983. It was posted by houxm!houxz!llf.
   
   *  Picadillo is a great favorite throughout Latin America, and every
   country has its own version. In Mexico it is much appreciated as a filling
   for tacos, empanadas, tamales and green peppers. In the north of the
   country it is popular on its own and is eaten as a main dish, accompanied
   by rice, beans, guacamole and tortillas.
   
   *  Variations:  Instead of oregano and thyme, use a pinch or two of
   cinnamon and ground cloves. This makes an interesting difference in flavor,
   giving the dish an almost Middle Eastern taste.
   
   *  In Chihuahua, the apple is left out and 4 medium potatoes, cooked and
   cubed, and about 2 C cooked green peas are added to the beef at the end of
   the cooking time for just long enough to heat them through. This makes a
   nice one-dish meal.
   
   *  Picadillo de la Costa from the state of Guerrero, best known for the
   beach resort of Acapulco, uses the tropical fruits in which the region
   abounds, and instead of beef uses an equal mixture of ground pork and veal.
   The method is the same but the meats, with the onion, garlic, tomatoes, hot
   peppers, salt and pepper, are cooked, uncovered, for 15 minutes. Then add
   about 1 1/2 C pineapple chunks, 2 pears (peeled, cored and cut in chunks)
   and 2 bananas (peeled and sliced) are added and the mixture simmered for 15
   minutes longer over low heat. Sprinkle with almonds just before serving.
   This is a delicious summer dish, good with plain rice.
   
   *  In addition to the almonds, I add fresh coriander leaves as a garnish.
   
   : Difficulty:  easy.
   : Time:  20 minutes preparation.
   : Precision:  approximate measurement OK.
   
   : Nancy Mintz
   : UNIX System Development Lab, AT&T-IS, Summit, NJ
   : ihnp4!attunix!nlm
   
   : Copyright (C) 1986 USENET Community Trust
  
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