Picadillo

Method

1. Rinse the rice until the water runs clear and drain. Bring the water, oil and salt to a boil in a 16 cm pot over high heat, add the rice and boil uncovered. When the water has dropped to the surface and little craters appear, cover, turn down to low heat and cook for 18 min. Don't lift the lid.

   Add in this stepLong-grain rice 150 gWater (for the rice) 260 mlVegetable oil (for the rice) 1 tspSalt (for the rice) ½ tsp

   high heat→low heat

2. Cut the potatoes into 1 cm cubes and pat dry. Heat half the oil in a 24 cm frying pan over medium-high heat and fry the potatoes for 9 min, turning now and then, until golden outside and tender inside. Lift them onto a plate.

   Add in this stepPotatoes 150 gVegetable oil 1 tbsp

   medium-high heat

3. Add the rest of the oil to the same pan with the finely chopped onion and green pepper and cook over medium heat for 6 min until soft. Add the minced garlic, cumin and oregano and cook for 1 more minute until fragrant. This is the sofrito, the base of Cuban cooking.

   Add in this stepVegetable oil 1 tbspOnion 1Green bell pepper ½Garlic cloves 2Ground cumin ½ tspDried oregano ½ tsp

   medium heat

4. Turn the heat up to medium-high heat, add the beef and break it up with a spatula as it cooks for 6 min, until no pink remains and some bits are browned. If a lot of fat has run out, tilt the pan and spoon some off.

   Add in this stepMinced beef 250 g

   medium-high heat

5. Pour in the wine and let it bubble for 1 minute, scraping up the browned bits. Add the tomato sauce, bay leaves, raisins, salt and pepper, stir, then lower to medium-low heat, set the lid ajar and simmer for 12 min, until the sauce clings moistly to the meat.

   Add in this stepDry white wine 50 mlTomato sauce (passata) 120 mlBay leaves 1Raisins 20 gSalt ¾ tspBlack pepper to taste

   medium-low heat

6. Stir in the halved olives, the capers and the fried potatoes and heat through over low heat for 3 min. Remove the bay leaves, taste and adjust the salt.

   Add in this stepPitted green olives (pimiento-stuffed are traditional) 10Capers 1 tsp

   low heat

7. Fluff the rice with a fork, spoon it onto plates and pile the picadillo alongside. In Cuba it often comes with black beans or fried sweet plantains.