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I bought some grass-fed beef the other day and decided to make one of my favorite beef dishes with it – picadillo. I love the slightly sweet and tart taste of the tomatoes and raisins contrasted against the savoriness of the onion & garlic. This recipe is very easy and makes a huge amount. I froze half of it so I would have picadillo on hand. It is such a versatile dish: you can serve it over rice (with or without black beans) or use it as the filling for empanadas, tacos or burritos.

Ingredients

• 2 Tablespoons olive oil
• 1 large onion, finely diced
• 2 red or yellow bell peppers, finely diced
• 8 cloves garlic, minced
• 6 bay leaves
• 2 lb. ground beef
• 1 (14.5 oz) can diced tomatoes
• 3/4 cup raisins
• 3/4 cup sliced green olives
• 1/4 cup tomato paste
• 2 teaspoons red wine vinegar
• 4 teaspoons cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 2 teaspoons salt, or to taste
• freshly ground pepper, to taste

Directions

Heat olive oil over medium heat in a heavy skillet. Add onions, peppers, garlic & bay leaves and sauté until vegetables are tender, about 3-5 minutes. Add the ground beef and cook until mostly browned, about 5 minutes. Add the rest of the ingredients and simmer for 10 minutes to let the flavors merge together.