Cattle Corner: Picadillo

This recipe for Picadillo, from 244 Prize Winning National Beef Cook-Off recipes. Entries are accepted for the 2013 NBCO. Check out www.beefcookoff.org.

Ingredients

2 pounds ground beef chuck

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 green pepper, cut into strips

1⁄2 cup chopped onion

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 teaspoon chili powder

1⁄4 teaspoon red pepper flakes

1⁄4 teaspoon ground or crushed cumin

1⁄2 teaspoon salt

1⁄8 teaspoon pepper

2 cans (16 ounces each) whole tomatoes, chopped, reserving juice

1⁄2 cup raisins

1⁄2 cup white wine

1 large apple, cored and diced

Cooked couscous or brown rice

Steps

Heat oil in heavy pot or Dutch oven; brown ground beef, stirring vigorously, several minutes. Add green pepper, onions, garlic, chili powder, red pepper flakes, cumin, salt and pepper. Cook, stirring, about 5 minutes.

Add tomatoes and juice; cover and cook slowly 15 minutes.

Combine raisins and white wine; add along with apple to meat mixture. Cook uncovered, about 10 minutes or until the liquid is reduced to half.

Serve over couscous or brown rice.

6 to 8 servings.