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1
Brown the Beef
7 Mins
Medium-high heat, pan about 190°C (375°F)
Heat the olive oil in a large, deep skillet over medium-high heat. Add the ground beef and cook for 6-7 minutes, breaking it up with a wooden spoon, until no pink remains and the meat is browned. The beef must reach at least 71°C (160°F) throughout. Drain off any excess fat.
Let the beef sit undisturbed for a minute before breaking it up — that is how it browns instead of steaming grey.
Done when: The beef is browned and crumbly, with no pink left anywhere.
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2
Build the Sofrito
6 Mins
Medium heat, pan about 175°C (350°F)
Push the beef to one side. Add the onion and green pepper to the pan and cook for 4 minutes until soft, then add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds. Stir in the cumin and oregano and cook for 30 seconds more until fragrant.
Bloom the spices in the hot fat for half a minute — it wakes up their flavour before the liquid goes in.
Done when: The onion is soft and golden and the pan smells warm and savoury.
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3
Simmer the Sauce
20 Mins
Gentle simmer, about 95°C (203°F)
Pour in the white wine and scrape the pan clean, then stir in the tomato sauce and the bay leaves. Bring to a gentle simmer, cover with the lid ajar, and cook for 20 minutes, stirring now and then, until the sauce has reduced and darkened.
Keep the simmer gentle — a hard boil makes the beef tough and the sauce bitter.
Done when: The sauce is thick enough to coat the beef and has turned a deep brick red.
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4
Add Olives, Raisins and Capers
7 Mins
Simmer, about 95°C (203°F)
Stir in the chopped olives, raisins and capers. Simmer uncovered for 5-7 minutes until the raisins are plump and the sauce is thick and glossy. Fish out the bay leaves, taste, and add the remaining salt if needed.
Add the olives and raisins late, so the raisins plump up without turning to mush.
Done when: The raisins are plump, the olives are warmed through, and the sauce is thick and glossy.
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5
Fry the Plantains
8 Mins
Medium-high heat, pan about 180°C (355°F)
While the picadillo simmers, heat the vegetable oil in a second pan over medium-high heat. Fry the plantain slices for 2-3 minutes a side until deep golden and caramelised at the edges. Drain on paper towels and sprinkle with a pinch of salt.
Fry the plantains last, so they are hot and crisp when the plates go out.
Done when: The slices are deep golden, with caramelised edges and soft centres.
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6
Plate with Rice
3 Mins
Serve hot, about 65°C (149°F)
On each plate, mound the warm white rice and spoon the picadillo generously over and beside it. Add the fried plantains and serve at once.
Spoon the picadillo over the rice, not beside it — the sauce soaks in and that is the point.
Done when: The plate is full and colourful: white rice, brick-red picadillo and golden plantains.
auto_awesome Finishing Touches & Plating
Serve at once, spooned over white rice with fried plantains — and let everyone add a little hot sauce at the table if they like.
Cuba
3h
