Picadillo

Sometimes, a recipe comes along "incognito" to remind you of what you once loved. This is that recipe. I am not sure why, but my family was never a beans and rice eating family, when I was young. We were more a burgers and pasta or green salads eating family. But I had a childhood friend and they were a beans and rice eating family. And I loved the combination, with or without meat, with plenty of spice. This recipe brings me back to those wonderful meals with my childhood friend. Did I know the name of the recipe, then? No, but I love it, now that I hear it! Evidently, "picadillo" means "chopped." I could say "Picadillo" all day long, just sounds fun rolling off the tongue! This recipe was submitted by a man who left Cuba as a young child. A National Geographic photographer, he settled with his family here in Maine and shares this recipe with us. So glad this recipe found me again, after all these years!

Cooking the meat, adding the bell pepper, onions, and spices. Mixing in the black beans. I had no tomato paste, yikes! And no raisins, and no spanish olives (clearly the pantry needs a shopping trip).  I did have Badia Sazon (similar to Goya Sazon but w/o the MSG) which is essential. And, rice, of course.

Once it was on the plate, it looked great. And it tasted of childhood meals with my friend. But here is the next-day-leftovers-good-news. I realized that all I had to do was add salsa and grated cheese and sour cream and avocado and tortilla chips (thankfully all of which were to be found in the pantry and fridge), and I had a nacho snack to rival the local bar appetizer.

Picadillo. A food that brings pleasure to the mouth, brings memories to mind, and satiates the hungriest among us. Glad to have this recipe named and the dearth of pantry essentials rectified, so that Picadillo can be produced in all its glory for future meals!