A picadillo recipe for a quick, richly flavored dinner

Hi there, welcome. I’m glad you’re here. I wish I could welcome you to my actual table. In this dream scenario it would be made of sturdy wood, large and round, surrounded by comfortable chairs. I’d light a few candles, tall tapers or tiny tealights, and scatter flowers among the plates and glasses. I’d play Miles Davis and Sade and Elvis Costello and Rose Royce. There would be a pitcher of water, and probably bottles of wine. And in the center, ready for passing, would be the star of the show: dinner.

I grew up in a family that looked forward to dinner as much as a kid might look forward to a trip to Disneyland: We’d start discussing it at breakfast, mulling over the options based on what was in the cupboard and freezer, and through bites of cereal or French toast we’d land on something simple, like boxed macaroni and cheese or rice and beans. If one of my parents had the day off from work, it might be something special, like bistec encebollado (Puerto Rican-style vinegar steak with onions) or my mom’s khoresht bademjan (Persian eggplant and chicken stew).

Because my parents both worked full-time and had uneven schedules, I learned to cook as soon as I could push a chair up to the counter.

One of my favorite things to make for dinner was — and still is — picadillo, ground meat sauteed and simmered in a deep red tomato-based sauce, well-seasoned and savory with onions, garlic, cumin and olives.

It’s popular throughout Latin America, and can be a meal in and of itself, but it’s also a component in more elaborate dishes, including tacos, empanadas, pastelón, chiles en nogada and alcapurrias. The recipe can change from region to region and cook to cook, and every family puts their own spin on it, adding olives, raisins, potatoes, plantains or squash, depending on whether they like it sweeter or more savory, simple or hearty.

One of my friends, Adriana Velez, adds fresh or dried fruit and a touch of cinnamon and stuffs it into chiles. Travel writer Jessica van Dop DeJesus makes hers richer and more savory by using ground pork instead of beef. At Blend 111 in Vienna, Va., chef Andrés-Julian Zuluaga has a vegan version on the takeout menu, made with roasted and minced maitake mushrooms instead of ground meat.

I put both raisins and olives in my picadillo — I like the little sweet and salty dance they do in your mouth — but you could omit one or both. The recipe here is a streamlined beef picadillo based on the one I grew up eating. It doesn’t require a sofrito, as some picadillos do, but if you have some or want to make it, do: Your picadillo will be even better.

I like picadillo served over rice, which soaks up the juices from the quickly simmered stew, but it can also be served over pasta or with any starch or vegetable. Make it a one-pot meal by adding a few handfuls of shredded spinach or kale and letting them melt into the sauce or tossing in bite-size pieces of roasted potatoes or squash.

Storage Notes: Store leftovers in a covered container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

NOTE: You may replace the onion, bell pepper, garlic and cilantro with 3/4 cup prepared or homemade sofrito, about one-fourth of this recipe.

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• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 small yellow onion (4 to 5 ounces), finely chopped
• 1/2 bell pepper, any color, finely chopped (optional)
• 5 stems fresh cilantro and their leaves, chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, minced or finely grated
• 1 pound lean ground beef
• 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt or table salt, plus more as needed
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon paprika (any kind)
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1 (15-ounce) can crushed or diced tomatoes, preferably with no salt added
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 1/4 cup dark or golden raisins (optional)
• 1/4 cup pimento-stuffed green olives, halved (optional)
• Steamed rice for serving (optional)

In a wide skillet over high heat, heat the oil until it shimmers. Add the onion and bell pepper, if using, and cook, stirring often, just until they begin to brown, about 3 minutes. Lower the heat to medium and add most of the cilantro — reserving a few leaves for garnish — garlic and ground beef. Using a wooden spoon or spatula, break the ground beef into bits so that it cooks evenly. Stir in the salt, cumin, paprika, oregano and black pepper.

Cook the beef until its fat has rendered and it’s brown with a few pink spots, 5 to 8 minutes. (Drain excess fat, if desired.) Stir in the tomatoes and tomato paste. Bring to a simmer and cook over medium heat for another 5 minutes, using a spoon or spatula to break up any large chunks of tomato. (If the mixture starts to look dry, add a splash or two of wat
er to loosen it.)

Stir in the raisins and olives, if using, and simmer until they’ve softened, 3 or 4 minutes. Taste and adjust seasonings, keeping in mind that the raisins add a little sweetness and the olives add salinity and a touch of acidity. Garnish with the reserved cilantro leaves and serve the picadillo hot, with cooked rice.

(Based on 6 servings, excluding rice)

Calories: 249; Protein: 15g; Carbohydrates: 8g; Fat: 20g; Saturated Fat: 6g; Cholesterol: 54mg; Sodium: 259mg; Fiber: 3g; Sugar: 4g.

This recipe comes from the Eat Voraciously newsletter. Sign up here to get one weeknight dinner recipe, tips for substitutions, techniques and more in your inbox Monday through Thursday.

Recipe from staff writer G. Daniela Galarza.