PICADILLO (pronounced "pee-kah-dee-yo")
This is what the Cubans do with ground beef instead of making hamburgers. There are many different versions of it but this one is the most authentic.
2 tablespoons cooking oil
2 large garlic cloves, minced
1 large onion, chopped coarsely
Salt and pepper to taste
1/2 teaspoon monosodium glutamate
1 pound lean beef, ground
1/3 cup dry white wine
2 large ripe tomatoes, peeled and chopped
1/2 cup dark or light raisins, plumped up in hot water
1/3 cup pimiento-stuffed olives, sliced in thirds
1 seeded green pepper, chopped in half-inch squares
Fry the garlic and onion for five minutes In the oil,, stirring frequently. Add the seasonings, the meat, the wine, and stir again. Add the tomatoes, raisins, and olives, and stir. Add the green pepper and cook only long enough for it to get thoroughly hot; it should retain crispness and color.
Serve this dish with plain white rice, either in a separate dish or with the Picadillo on top of the rice and its juices trickling down.
Enough for 3 to 5 people
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