Ground Meat Filling for Tortillas (Picadillo)
After an acting career spanning thirty years, Matthew Locricchio used his love of cooking to inspire young cooks to be confident in the kitchen. He was the author of numerous books, including a series of international cookbooks for children.
- Prep 30 minutes
- Servings 4 to 6
Ingredients
- 2 dried ancho chilies
- 1 medium white onion
- 2 large ripe tomatoes or 237 ml (1 cup) canned chopped plum tomatoes
- 2 cloves garlic
- 10 to 12 pimento-stuffed olives
- 5 ml (1 teaspoon) ground cinnamon
- 1.25 ml (¼ teaspoon) ground cloves
- 118 ml (½ cup) raisins
- 118 ml (½ cup) slivered almonds
- 5 ml (1 teaspoon) salt
- 5 ml (1 teaspoon) brown sugar
- 30 ml (2 tablespoons) olive oil or vegetable oil
- 453 grams (1 pound) ground beef (sirloin or top round)
- 79 ml (⅓ cup) chicken stock or water
Preparation
1. Place the ancho chilies in a bowl and cover with 118 ml (1/2 cup) hot water. Let stand for 15 minutes. Meanwhile, peel and coarsely chop the onion and measure out 237 ml (1 cup). Cut off the stem circle from the tomatoes (or drain canned tomatoes) and measure 237 ml (1 cup).
2. Peel and chop the garlic. Chop the olives. In a small bowl combine the cinnamon, cloves, raisins, almonds, black pepper, salt, and brown sugar.
3. Heat a 25 to 30 cm (10 to 12 inch) skillet with the oil over medium-high heat for 30 seconds. Add the ground meat and cook stirring to break up the meat, until the meat is no longer pink. Turn off the heat. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the meat to a bowl and keep it nearby.
4. Remove the chilies from the soaking water and squeeze out excess liquid into a bowl; save the liquid. Discard the stems and coarsely chop the chilies.
5. Return the skillet to medium heat. Add the tomatoes and chicken stock. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes. Return the meat to the skillet, add the spice mixture, and stir well. Cover the pan, reduce heat to low, and simmer for 8 to 10 minutes. Serve hot.
Matthew Locricchio
IACP-winner Matthew Locricchio acted in film, television and on the West Coast and New York stage beginning mid-1970s. After a career spanning thirty years, Matthew decided to use his love of cooking to inspire young people to learn confidence in the kitchen. He is the author of several international cookbooks including a collection for younger cooks – The International Cookbook for Kids, The 2nd International Cookbook for Kids, and Superchef series. Older youth will enjoy Teen Cuisine and Teen Cuisine New Vegetarian, his last title. In April 2013 this book won the International Association of Culinary Professionals 2013 award as Best Cookbook for Children, Youth, and Family. He died at his home in New York City on January 9, 2019.
Courtesy photo
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