Picadillo Cubano con Arroz Blanco

Picadillo is the everyday comfort food of Cuba, found on every table from Havana apartments to rural farmhouses. Ground beef is cooked down with olives, raisins, capers, and tomato in a richly spiced sofrito — a Moorish-influenced combination of sweet, salty, and savory that is distinctly Cuban. Served over white rice, it is the island's quintessential quick dinner.

Serves: 4

Ingredients

• 500g (1 lb) ground beef
• 1 medium onion, finely diced
• 1 green bell pepper, finely diced
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 tbsp (30ml) olive oil
• 400g (14 oz) canned crushed tomatoes
• 60g (1/4 cup) pimento-stuffed green olives, halved
• 40g (3 tbsp) raisins
• 1 tbsp (9g) capers, rinsed
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 1 bay leaf
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Cooked white rice, to serve

Instructions

1. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion and bell pepper; cook 5-6 minutes until softened.
2. Add garlic, cumin, and oregano; stir 1 minute.
3. Add ground beef, breaking it up with a spoon, and cook 6-8 minutes until browned with no pink remaining.
4. Pour in crushed tomatoes, add bay leaf, olives, raisins, and capers. Stir well.
5. Reduce heat to medium and simmer 15-18 minutes until sauce thickens and flavors meld. Season with salt and pepper.
6. Remove bay leaf and serve over fluffy white rice.

Cook's Notes: Picadillo improves overnight — make a double batch and refrigerate for the next day. It also makes an excellent filling for empanadas or stuffed peppers.