The second dish I have chosen, which is also from the Americas, is one which we should be familiar with but not by the same name. Picadillo is derived the Spanish work "picar" which means "to mince" or "to chop" and is a made from minced beef which is spiced and can be mixed with vegetables. In the US this dish is often just referred to as "chilli" and in Australia we often use it to fill our tacos. Across the Americas you will find it served up on rice or even as the filling for empanadas. The recipe I used was relatively dry compared to the Australian version and the spice came from jalapenos which provided a more pepper like hotness than using dried chillies or powder.
Recipe for Picadillo
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1/2 an onion, sliced
4-5 cloves of garlic, peeled and chopped
2 jalapenos seeded and diced
4 medium tomatoes, seeded and diced
8 green olives, pitted and sliced into quarters
2 tablespoon of the olive liquid
1/4 cup raisins (softened by soaking in warm water for 20 minutes)
1 poblano chile or green bell pepper, seeded and chopped
1 teaspoon cumin
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1 small cone of piloncillo or 1 teaspoon brown sugar
Cook the ground beef, jalapenos and onions over medium heat until the beef is about 1/2 cooked and only some pink remains. Add the garlic and cook for mixture for 2 more minutes. Add the remaining ingredients and cook over low heat until the beef is well browned and crumbly and the tomatoes and onions are softened and begin to combine with the other ingredients.