Picadillo Texas Mexican style with Cooked Green Salsa
Texas Mexican Picadillo is seasoned with black pepper, cumin and garlic.
We add potatoes but not raisins nor olives as is typical farther south and especially in the Caribbean. Thank the maker for diversity.
In our home this is how my amá made it.
Flavors are blended so harmoniously that not one spice outshines the other. It’s robust and straightforward, like us. Of course it has to be accompanied by chile. Here I’ve chosen Salsa Verde Cocida. I hope you like it. From my family to yours. (The recipe is adapted from the book, Truly Texas Mexican: A Native Culinary Heritage In Recipes)
Recipe for Picadillo: (serves 4)
Ingredients
1 lb lean ground beef
1/3 cup white onion, diced
1 Tbs vegetable oil
1 clove garlic
1 tsp salt
8 black peppercorns
1/8 tsp cumin seeds
1 large wax potato like Yukon gold, cut into 1″cubes, about 2 cups
3 cups water
Recipe for Cooked Green Salsa, Tomatillo
3 large Jalapeño chiles
3 tomatillos
1 clove garlic
1/4 white onion
3 cups water
1/2 tsp salt
Method
1. In a skillet heat the oil on medium heat, then add the onions and cook until they are soft.
2. Add the ground beef and brown it.
3. While the meat is browning, place the garlic, salt, black peppercorns and cumin seeds in a molcajete and grind into a fine paste. Set aside
4. When the meat is completely browned, add some of the water to the molcajete and pour the contents into the skillet. You may have to do this several times until you’ve scraped away all of the paste off the molcajete. Scrape the bottom of the skillet to deglaze.
5. Pour the remaining water into the skillet, add the potatoes. Cover and cook for 15 minutes. Uncover and let most of the liquid evaporate.
To make the Salsa Verde Cocida
1. Bring the water to a boil and add all the ingredients except the salt
2. Cook until the chiles and tomatillos become soft. The color will change.
3. Drain and then place in a blender. Add the salt and purée until smooth. Está listo. It’s ready.
Serve with tortillas.
¡Buen provecho!