I have been taking it easy these past days. For me taking it easy means cleaning the house from top to bottom which translates in less time spent in front of the computer and the kitchen. That’s why I have been cooking easy and quick meals. But that is not a bad thing at all, especially now that the temperatures are climbing and our lives are filling with a lot of activities that involve getting out of the house. This year I refuse to stay home gaining weight. This is a new season for me and I’ll try to make the best of it.
Here’s a recipe that is really easy to make and can be used for so many different meals. Picadillo is usually made with ground beef and served in tacos, empanadas, quesadillas or tostadas. There are many different ways to make picadillo. I might have forgotten or change some ingredients, but I think this is very close to how my mom prepares her picadillo. The main change is that I used ground turkey instead of beef.
Turkey Picadillo
The ingredients:
- 1 lb ground turkey
- 2 TBSP olive oil
- 1 small onion, chopped
- 4 garlic cloves, finely minced
- 1/2 cup chicken broth.
- 1 cup diced tomatoes or 1/2 cup tomato sauce
- 1 chipotle adobado pepper, chopped
- 1 tsp oregano
- 1/2 tsp ground cumin
- 2 bay leaves
- 1/2 cup cooked potatoes, cubed (optional)
- salt and pepper to taste
The how-to:
- Heat up oil in a large skillet and saute onions. Add ground beef and cook until brown. Add garlic and stir well.
- Add chicken broth and bring to a boil. Add tomato, peppers, oregano, cumin, bay leaves and potatoes. Bring to boil again and reduce heat to low.
- Adjust seasoning and simmer for 10 minutes or until the liquid has evaporated.
- Serve over tostadas, or as a filling for tacos, empanadas or fried quesadillas.
The afterthoughts:
- Although this dish was pretty close to my mom’s picadillo as I remember it, I think the turkey gives it a different flavor. I still like my mom’s better, but this one wasn’t bad at all, just different.
Print this recipe
¡Buen provecho!
This post is my entry for this week’s Bookmarked Recipes hosted by Tami.
20 Replies
Ben, this is a beautiful presentation! In fact, it looks so good that I just changed my dinner plan!
Posted on April 14th, 2009 at 11:00 am
With the season changing I find myself doing more outside too. It’s nice for a change. This is a beautiful plate.
Posted on April 14th, 2009 at 12:20 pm
Que rico se ve!! muy buenas fotos!!!
Posted on April 14th, 2009 at 12:40 pm
These look great. I find myself replacing many ground beef dishes with ground turkey instead and to me, they taste just as great. The presentation here is lovely too—so colorful!
Posted on April 14th, 2009 at 12:54 pm
I love the flavors you’ve added to your turkey mixture. You’ve definitely kicked ground turkey up a notch!: )
Posted on April 14th, 2009 at 2:31 pm
Looks really delicious! I didn’t know potatoes were used, but it sounds great. I want this for dinner.
Posted on April 14th, 2009 at 3:11 pm
Stunning!
Posted on April 14th, 2009 at 3:21 pm
Looks delicious and beautifully presented Ben! I love the use of the potatoes…(gimme extra carbs!)
Posted on April 14th, 2009 at 4:58 pm
Waw, this dish looks great! excellent food!
Posted on April 15th, 2009 at 4:45 am
The presentation here is beautiful. Have you ever tried picadillo with a few raisins? It adds a very nice sweet/savory element.
Posted on April 15th, 2009 at 7:45 am
I’m sure the turkey helps it stay a little healthier.
Posted on April 15th, 2009 at 8:56 am
looks great! I don’t eat turkey (sorry) but I’d love to try it with chicken or beef
Posted on April 15th, 2009 at 9:54 am
Awesome! I love how versatile the recipe is for just about anything you want to create.
Posted on April 15th, 2009 at 11:39 am
This looks amazing Ben. Definitely another one to keep!
Posted on April 15th, 2009 at 12:56 pm
What are the characteristics of an authentic picadillo? I posted a chicken picadillo last week (used as a filling for empanadas); I always make it with raisins and capers, and wine vinegar, in the Cuban style. Now I’ll try your version!
Posted on April 16th, 2009 at 4:01 pm
This picadillo sounds good and I like how you served it.
Posted on April 19th, 2009 at 3:22 pm
I really like the looks of this Ben. Definitely going to try it. What’s the original source?
I need to stop looking at foodblogs before bed. I’m hungry now. Argh!
Posted on April 20th, 2009 at 9:38 pm
Oh yes, this is a good one! Seems so simple and easy to make.
Posted on April 24th, 2009 at 1:38 pm
ummmm…these look awesome!
Posted on May 18th, 2009 at 2:05 pm
yum, I made a version of this last night without the potato and used it for tacos with tomato, lettuce, salsa, cheddar and plain yogurt instead of sour cream. It was super delish!
Posted on May 20th, 2009 at 7:18 am
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