Picadillo — spiced ground beef with green olives and Brazilian garlic rice
Savoury mince. That's the nub of what this really is. But there are different kinds of savoury mince, in many parts of the world. On toast, for breakfast. Cape Malay curried mince. Underneath mashed potato in a cottage or shepherd's pie. Even our own bobotie is a variation on a theme of savoury minced meat.
But in the Latin-American countries, they have something called picadillo. It's a ground (minced) beef dish with plenty of spices, often with green olives in it, sometimes raisins too. I looked around and found a range of recipes for it, studied them then wrote down a recipe.
Along the way, I espied recipes for Brazilian rice, which piqued my interest. This is a simple rice dish cooked with onions and garlic. Or just with garlic. So I made the garlic version and tasted it. Five spoonfuls later, I knew that I could just devour a bowl of this garlic rice all on its own, thinking: Who needs the picadillo, this will do fine…
Except that the picadillo turned out equally delicious, Together, they make for a really satisfying meal. It's one to add to your repertoire.
The rice begins with a refogado, which is a Brazilian (and Portuguese) iteration of sofrito: the sautéing of garlic and/or onions in fat or oil. In Italian cooking a sofrito comprises sautéd onion, carrot and celery, like the French mirepoix. In Latin countries it involves onion and garlic.
Here's how to make both picadillo and Brazilian garlic rice.
Tony's picadillo with garlic rice
(Serves 2 with seconds)
Ingredients
700g lean minced beef
1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 medium red onion, diced
1 yellow pepper, diced
4 cloves garlic
2 Tbsp dried oregano
½ tsp ground cumin
1 tsp paprika
1 bay leaf
Salt and black pepper to taste
1 cup green olives, halved
1 Tbsp red wine vinegar
1 x 400g can chopped tomatoes
1 Tbsp tomato paste
½ cup vegetable stock
¼ cup fresh parsley, finely chopped
For the garlic rice:
2 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
1 Tbsp canola oil
1 cup rice (don't rinse it)
375ml/ 1.5 cups vegetable stock
Salt to taste
Method
In a large, heavy cast-iron pot, on a moderate heat, heat the olive oil and add the onions and diced pepper. Sauté for 2 or 3 minutes until softened. Add the garlic and sauté for 2 minutes more.
Add the beef and immediately work it with a wooden spoon to prevent it from forming clumps. Cook gently for 5 minutes or so.
Add the cumin, oregano, paprika and bay leaf, season with salt and black pepper, stir, and cook for a few minutes more.
Now add the green olives, vinegar, chopped tomatoes and tomato paste, and the vegetable stock, and simmer for 15 minutes more.
Remove the lid and continue cooking for another 10 minutes or so for the liquid to evaporate a little and the flavours to intensify.
Stir in the chopped parsley and leave it aside while you make the rice.
For the garlic rice:
Heat the oil in a pot and add the chopped garlic, on a low heat.
Cook very gently, stirring, until the garlic turns pale gold.
Add the rice, season with salt and stir for a minute.
Add the stock and bring to a rolling boil.
Lower the heat and simmer gently, covered, until the water has been absorbed.
Turn off the heat and let the pot stand covered for 10 minutes.
Remove the lid and let the rice settle for two minutes, then fluff with a fork.
Spoon picadillo on top of rice, garnish with parsley, and serve. DM
Tony Jackman is twice winner of the Galliova Food Writer of the Year award, in 2021 and 2023.
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