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.
In Chihuahua, the apple is left out and 4 medium potatoes, cooked and cubed, and 300 g 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 400 g 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.
Nancy Mintz UNIX System Development Lab, AT&T-IS, Summit, NJ ihnp4!attunix!nlmRecipe last modified: 7 Aug 86
Path: decwrl!recipes From: nlm@attunix (Nancy Mintz) Newsgroups: mod.recipes Subject: RECIPE: Picadillo (Seasoned Chopped Beef) Message-ID: <6625@decwrl.DEC.COM> Date: 28 Nov 86 04:35:53 GMT Sender: recipes@decwrl.DEC.COM Organization: AT&T UNIX Dev. Lab, Summit, New Jersey, USA Lines: 92 Approved: reid@decwrl.UUCP Copyright (C) 1986 USENET Community Trust Permission to copy without fee all or part of this material is granted provided that the copies are not made or distributed for direct commercial advantage, the USENET copyright notice and the title of the newsgroup and its date appear, and notice is given that copying is by permission of the USENET Community Trust or the original contributor.