Puerto Rican Picadillo with Jasmine Brown Rice
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups Carolina® Jasmine Brown Rice
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil
- 1 onion, chopped
- 1/2 green bell pepper, chopped
- 1/2 red bell pepper, chopped
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 lb ground beef
- 2 tsp cumin
- 2 tsp dried oregano
- 1 tsp paprika
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 1 cup chicken broth
- 1 cup tomato sauce
- 1/3 cup pimento-stuffed olives, chopped
- 1/3 cup raisins
- 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
Instructions
Let the aroma of this comforting picadillo fill your kitchen made with ground beef, spices, tomato, olives and sweet raisins served over a base of aromatic Carolina® Jasmine Brown Rice.
Step 1
Cook rice according to package directions.
Step 2
Heat oil in Dutch oven or large high-sided skillet set over medium heat; cook onion, bell peppers and garlic for 5 to 7 minutes or until softened.
Step 3
Increase heat to medium-high; cook ground beef, breaking up with wooden spoon, for 8 to 10 minutes or until browned. Add cumin, oregano, paprika, salt, cayenne and pepper; cook for 1 to 2 minutes or until fragrant.
Step 4
Stir in chicken broth, tomato sauce, olives and raisins. Reduce heat to medium; cover and simmer for 10 to 12 minutes or until beef is cooked and picadillo is thickened.
Step 5
Garnish with cilantro. Serve with rice.
Recipe Tip
Serve with fried plantains and black beans on the side for a real feast.
What is Picadillo?
Considered a traditional Latin American dish, picadillo is adapted and customized according to the country where it is made. Taken from the Spanish word picar, meaning to chop or mince, it’s a combination of vegetables, meat, tomatoes, raisins and olives along with a wide variety of other ingredients.
The delicious and comforting combination of flavors makes for a hearty family meal around the table served over aromatic Jasmine Brown Rice. However, it can also be used as a filling for empanadas like in this recipe for Empanadas with Turkey and Rice Picadillo a prime example of just how delicious combining two Latin American classics can be — picadillo and empanadas.
To finish this meal off, try a Puerto Rican version of arroz con leche made in the oven, or baked rice pudding.
Jasmine Brown Rice vs. Brown Rice
Using our whole grain Jasmine Rice, you can still enjoy the benefits of brown rice but with the added sweet aroma of Jasmine Rice. Thai Jasmine Brown Rice is the best of two worlds. In addition to the hints of sweet jasmine, the whole grain variety has a slightly nutty flavor. Jasmine Brown Rice— thanks to the cereal and bran layer — is chewier than other grains. With all the minced ingredients in this picadillo, this is a welcome texture.
