Cuban Picadillo with Pimento-Stuffed Olives

What could be better than a hearty meal simmering in the slow cooker on a cold and rainy day! Cuban Picadillo With Pimento - Stuffed Olives, with its wonderful aroma, is just that dish. A cross between chili con carne and hash, Picadillo is most scrumptious when served with fried sweet plantains or rice and beans.

                                                              Cuban Picadillo
                                                 With Pimento - Stuffed Olives
                                                                Adapted from
                                               The 150 best Slow Cooker recipes
                                                              Judith Finlayson

Ingredients:

2 tbs. vegetable oil, divided
2 lbs. lean ground beef
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 jalapeno pepper, finely chopped
2 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/4 tsp ground  cinnamon
2 whole cloves
1 bay leaf
1 can 5 1/2 oz tomato paste
2 tbsp red wine vinegar
12 large pimento - stuffed olives

1. In a skillet,  heat 1 tbsp oil over medium-high heat. Add beef and cook, breaking up with a wooden spoon, until no longer pink. Using a slotted spoon, transfer to slow cooker stoneware. Drain off liquid from pan.

2. Reduce heat to medium. Add remaining oil to pan. Add garlic, jalapeno pepper, oregano, salt, black pepper, cinnamon, cloves and bay leaf and cook, stirring for 1 minute. Stir in tomato paste and red wine vinegar and bring mixture to a boil.

3. Pour mixture over meat and stir well. Cover and cook on low for 8 to 10 hours on high for 4 to 5 hours, until mixture is hot and bubbling.

4. Stir in olives. Cover and cook on high for 20 minutes, until heated through.  Serve immediately.

Although the cooking aroma was delicious and the recipe easy, it lacked moisture and did not compare in taste or texture to a true picadillo . Next time I would make a more traditional picadillo by adding onion, capers, bell peppers, tomato, raisins and white wine. Regardless, it is be fine with a poached egg on top and a salad.

Follow Anne on twitter @AnneFretz and Instagram @AnneFretz 

Follow Anne on twitter @AnneFretz and Instagram @AnneFretz