- 6
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp. canola oil
- 1 (4") stick cinnamon
- 1 large yellow onion, chopped
- 1 green bell pepper, stemmed, seeded, and chopped
- 1 tbsp. ground cinnamon, halved
- 1 1/2 tsp. dried oregano
- 1/8 tsp. ground cloves
- 4 cloves garlic, chopped
- 2 lbs. ground pork
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 3/4 cup raisins
- 3/4 cup green pimiento-stuffed olives, halved
- 1 (28-oz.) can whole peeled
- tomatoes, undrained, crushed
- 1/2 cup slivered almonds, toasted
- 1 tbsp. red wine vinegar
Preparation
Step 1
1. Heat oil in a 12" cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. Add cinnamon stick, onions, and peppers; cook, stirring, until vegetables are soft, about 10 minutes.
2. Add half the ground cinnamon, oregano, cloves, and garlic and cook until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Add pork and cook, breaking it up with a wooden spoon, until it browns, 8–10 minutes.
3. Season with salt and pepper; add raisins, olives, and tomatoes. Cook until liquid has evaporated, about 20 minutes. Stir in remainder of ground cinnamon, almonds, and vinegar.
How to Make Corn Tortillas
I've been eating Cuban food my entire life and I've never thought of serving Picadillo de Puerco (the name of this dish) with corn tortillas. Perhaps this is because corn tortillas are Mexican, and not Cuban. Any Cuban will tell you that picadillo must absolutely be served with fluffy white rice. However, the recipe itself looks pretty good. I've always made it like this, using ground beef, except I haven't used cinnamon, and I would add about a teaspoon of ground cumin myself to perfect it. I look forward to adding the cinnamon next time, but I'm sticking to rice as an accompaniment, not tortillas.
As a Cuban I agree w/ Vicmarti's opinion. A typical Cuban "Picadillo"(ground pork or beef) is served with white rice. There are no corn tortillas in Cuban cooking. The roots of Cuban cooking originate from Spanish (read: SPAIN) cooking brought in by the Spanish Colonists & African cooking, from the African Slaves. We call this “Comida Criolla” or Creole cooking. Cuban cuisine is as different from Mexican, as Italian is to Chinese. Mexican dishes incorporate different spices and are typically spicy hot. Cuban dishes on the other hand, are more European in nature, so there is NO spicy heat. Mexican food originates from a mix of Native American Indian culture and Colonial Spanish cooking
I am very familiar with Cuban food and while this may not be classic Cuban recipe, it's very good. I will make it again for sure.
ditto for all the other comments. i'm not cuban but i know cuban food. i made this recipe with ground beef and added cumin and a little more oregano and it was so delicious! will omit the almonds next time, their flavor and texture was a distraction. my three year old daughter loved this and i'll make it again in the future.
As a Cuban I can say that this whole idea of adding cinnamon is incorrect. Perhaps it is part of some Moorish or Moroccan custom but NOT Cuban. The almonds are also not used in Cuba but again if trying to tie it to Spain then almonds might be used but I agree with Kristalyn that they would be a distraction.
I love Cuban and Puerto Rican foods so I thought I would give this a try. After reading the comments I adjusted the recipe to add cumin and serve it with rice and black beans . I added Sofrito and Adobo as well as more oregano than the recipe called for. After eating this for dinner, I feel the recipe needs more seasoning than they call for and next time I will add more Adobo , sofrito , cumin and oregano. I also used half ground pork and half ground beef. Good idea though!