Peccadillos and Picadillo

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Don't get one confused with another. "Peccadillo" is s small sin, like lying to protect some one you love.  "Picadillo" (pronounced pea-ca-dee-yo) is one of those simple but grand Cuban dishes that conjure up a myriad of memories.  There are tons of versions of this dish.  Some recipes call for three kinds of meat, others call for turkey, some even are made with tuna.  The meats can vary as can the other ingredients.  Picadillo is a type of hash, if you will, made with anything you can find in the kitchen.  However, this dish has become so entrenched in the Cuban psyche that no matter who makes it or what they put in it...it can only please.

Piccadillo:

Here is what you will need

1 lb. ground beef (80% to 85% fat content is okay for this dish)
4 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
1 large onion (chopped)
3 cloves of garlic (chopped)
1/2 a green bell pepper (chopped)
1 tsp ground cumin
1/4 tsp oregano
1 bay leaf
1 tsp salt
1/8 tsp black pepper
1/4 cup of tomato sauce
1/4 cup dry, white wine
a splash of white vinegar
1 1/2 to 2 tbsp. of capers
6 green olives (roughly chopped)
2 tbsp. sultanas (golden raisins)

Method of preparation:  Heat the oil in a heavy skillet or saute pan.  Saute the onion, garlic,  and pepper pepper.  Cook until slightly golden, but do not burn as the garlic will develop an acrid taste.  Add the ground beef and cook until no longer pink.  Add the salt, black pepper, bay leaf, cumin, and oregano.  Stir.  Deglaze the pan with the white wine and then add the tomato sauce, vinegar, capers, olives and raisins.  You want to reduce the liquid somewhat, but still have enough to create a bit of sauce when serving...almost like a slightly dry Sloppy Joe.  This dish is best served with white rice and tostones or fried sweet plantains.

This dish will permit you to be a little experimental.  Don't like beef...try it with pork or veal.  Don't like raisins, olive, or capers...substitute with other ingredients.  The key here is to maximize flavor and all of the ingredients listed here have very intense flavors of their own.  You might want to try adding a chopped chili for heat.