Cuban Picadillo

Circle B Kitchen

This is an amazingly fun and flavorful Cuban dish that's pretty much the epitome of comfort food. If you can't find dried chorizo (the cured Spanish version), go ahead and use the Mexican fresh sausage kind or whatever chorizo you can get your hands on. Either crumble it into the dish or dice it, but definitely add more than the 2 oz called for in the recipe. I used one link of chorizo sausage that was just over 4 oz. I might even add more next time. I added crushed red pepper flakes for a little spice, but leave them out or add more as you like. The fried eggs are totally optional, but we loved them. You could most definitely squirt some sriracha over the eggs for an even tastier finish.

Recipe adapted from the NY Times

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

2 medium-size yellow onions, peeled and chopped

2 ounces dried chorizo, diced (I used more)

4 cloves garlic, peeled and minced

1 ½ pounds ground beef (I used ground turkey)

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

4 ripe tomatoes, chopped, or one 28-ounce can crushed tomatoes

2 tablespoons red-wine vinegar

1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

1 tablespoon ground cinnamon

2 teaspoons ground cumin

2 bay leaves

Pinch of ground cloves

Pinch of nutmeg

⅔ cup raisins

⅔ cup pitted stuffed olives

optional: fried eggs for serving

Put the olive oil in a large, heavy pan set over a medium-high flame, and heat until it begins to shimmer. Add onions, chorizo and garlic, stir to combine and cook until the onions have started to soften, approximately 10 minutes.

Add the ground beef, and allow it to brown, crumbling the meat with a fork as it does. Season to taste with salt and black pepper.

Add tomatoes, vinegar, cinnamon, cumin, bay leaves, cloves and nutmeg and stir to combine. Lower the heat, and let the stew simmer, covered, for approximately 30 minutes.

Uncover the pan, and add the raisins and the olives. Allow the stew to cook for another 10 or 15 minutes, then serve, topped with fried eggs (optional) and accompanied by white rice (I used jasmine rice).