The Bodega Chef: Picadillo

As a reminder...
Here are the rules: Any meat, any spices, the rest of the ingredients must be available from one of the bodegas within a 3 block radius from me.
sidenote: I typically keep chicken and ground beef or turkey in the freezer and I have a pretty decent collection of spices.



Picadillo is a traditional Cuban dish that lends its self particularly well to bodega cooking, as recipes vary greatly and many substitutions can be made. For example, the vinegar can be left out completely or replaced with any type of vinegar or even a little wine.
Its also a pretty quick dish to cook.

Picadillo

Ingredients

2 lbs ground beef
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 large white onion, diced
1 (8 ounce) can tomato sauce
1 can diced tomatoes (can be replaced w/ another 8 oz. can tomato sauce)
1 Jalapeno (4-5 slices), diced*
¾ cup pimento stuffed olives, sliced
1/3 cup raisins
1/4 cup olive oil
3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar*
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar*
1 tablespoon cinnamon
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1 tablespoon salt
1 teaspoon ground pepper
* If you have it

Preparation

1) Sauté diced onions and garlic in olive oil.
2) When onions become transparent, add ground beef, breaking it up as it browns.
3) When mostly browned, add tomato sauce, vinegars, and diced tomatoes and let simmer.
4) Add sliced olives, jalapeno, raisins and spices, continue simmering and stirring for approximately 20 minutes, or until most of the liquid has drained.
5) Serve with rice and black beans, in taco shells with lettuce and tomato, or in a roasted red pepper.