Our Recipe of the Month is for Cuban Picadillo Habanero, a national dish of the island nation. Sautéed meat mixed with a multicultural blend of ingredients, this is an easy-to-make dish that is very satisfying.

"Picadillo" means chopped, minced, or ground meat. "Habanero" in this context means "Havana style". Likewise, Habanero chilies are also named after the Cuban capital city. The name "Havana" is thought to be of Native American origin. In English, the "b" was switched to a "v" because of the difficulty English speakers often have with distinguishing "v" and "b" sounds as spoken in several languages (including Semitic languages, romance languages, and even Japanese). As mentioned above, this quintessential Cuban dish is actually a mélange of ingredients associated with multiple culinary traditions with peppers and tomatoes from the Americas and raisins, olives, and capers from the Mediterranean and Middle-east. Picadillo Habanero can be made with either ground beef, ground pork, or a combination of the two. Some recipes call for diced ham. Some recipes also call for Spanish chorizo, which is a spicy sausage (differing from Mexican chorizo). Green and/or red bell peppers are often found in the dish and, occasionally, diced potatoes. This savory hash is sometimes used as a filling for Cuban empanadas, but it is most commonly served with rice and sides of black beans and fried plantains.

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 1/2 pounds ground beef or pork (or a combination of both)
• 1 - 2 Chorizo sausages, sliced (1/4 in) and quartered (optional)
• 1/2 cup diced green bell pepper
• 1/2 cup diced yellow onion
• 1/3 cup diced white potatoes
• 1 teaspoon finely chopped habanero chili pepper
• 1 cup tomato purée, tomato sauce, canned tomatoes or 3 plum tomatoes
• 1/4 cup stuffed green olives, cut in half or left whole
• 1/4 cup of black olives, cut in half or left whole
• 1/4 cup tablespoons black raisins
• 2 tablespoons capers, drained
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 teaspoon crushed dried oregano
• Salt and pepper

Preparation:

1. Chop the potatoes (small cubes), onions, green and red peppers.
2. Fry the potatoes, onions, and peppers in the olive oil for 2 minutes.
3. Add the ground beef or pork to the pan and continue frying for 2 minutes.
4. Add the potatoes, tomatoes, bay leaf, and oregano. Continue to cook for 5 minutes (until the potatoes are nearly done).
5. Stir in the black and green olives, raisins, and capers.

Serving Suggestion: Serve with white rice with sides of black beans and fried plantains.

Buen Provecho!

Recipe by T. Johnston-O'Neill
Photo by. Shari K. Johnston-O'Neill