It appeals to me because it’s delicious and intensely flavorful yet truly easy to make - it’s ready in about 25 minutes. A few weeks ago, my husband and I had the pleasure of staying at John Verlinden’s Airbnb in Brookline, Massachusetts. John is a published cookbook author, and his cookbook, To Cook Is To Love, celebrates Cuban cooking and his mother-in-law, Aida. We loved staying at John’s stylish Airbnb, and one day, we decided to cook one of his recipes for lunch. We picked his recipe for Picadillo because it seemed easy and delicious, and we knew we could adjust it to our low-carb diet. We enjoyed it so much that I asked John for his permission to include it here. I made it again today, and it was just as good as the first time I made it. This one is definitely a keeper!
Ingredients
Recipe Card
Ground beef: The original recipe calls for ground beef. The first time I made it, I used ground lamb, and it was delicious! Vegetables and aromatics: Onion, garlic, and green bell pepper. To season: Salt, pepper, dried oregano, and ground cumin. I like to add smoked paprika, too. Canned tomato sauce: Adds flavor and liquids to the dish. Green olives: This is the secret ingredient! Their savoriness and saltiness greatly elevate this dish.
Heat a large 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat. Add the ground beef, onion, garlic, bell pepper, salt, pepper, dried oregano, smoked paprika (if using), and cumin. Brown the beef and vegetables, stirring often and breaking the meat into smaller pieces, for about 5 minutes. Serve immediately. To achieve this, make sure you cook over medium-low heat, or even low heat if your stove runs hot, as can be the case when using an electric stovetop. If you’d like to divide this recipe into four servings, you’ll need to add a bed for the Picadillo or a side dish. Delicious options include cauliflower rice, mashed cauliflower, zucchini noodles, and sauteed spinach.
