Sometimes I get a crazy idea for a recipe in my head and just have to give it a try. Occasionally it turns out to be pretty good. Such is the case with this recipe for blueberry beef picadillo. A picadillo is a meat hash. Blueberry hash? Yeah, it’s a bit weird. But think of the berries’ acidity and sweet taste as being along the same lines as tomatoes for a meat sauce or cranberries to be served with roast turkey and maybe then my idea won’t seem quite as bizarre.
However strange “blueberry beef picadillo” may sound, my recipe is still really tasty. I’m not convinced the below instruction is the final rendering of it though. I think a spoonful of Dijon or some mustard seeds would be a smart addition … maybe a bit of sage too. But as is, I think you’ll find it intriguing and delicious. Give it a try for yourself and tweak as you see fit.
Veggie version using Quorn: I’ve made this recipe with beef mince and with Quorn mince. Both attempts were yummy. And in a way, I thought the Quorn version brought out the flavour of the blueberries in a more intense way.
BLUEBERRY BEEF PICADILLO Yum
Ingredients (four to six servings)
- 2 tablespoons of olive oil for sautéing;
- 1 large white onion (finely chopped);
- 2 cloves of garlic (finely chopped or pressed);
- 400g lean beef mince (or 350g of Quorn mince)*;
- 1 whole chipotle chilli;
- 1 star anise;
- 4 tablespoons of rock salt;
- 200g of fresh blueberries;
- 2 bell peppers (diced);
- 1 tablespoon of cinnamon;
- 1 tablespoon of oregano;
- 1 teaspoon of cumin;
- 1 teaspoon of ground ginger;
- 1 teaspoon ground coriander;
- Pinch of thyme;
- Dash of fennel seed;
- Dash of Worcester sauce;
- 4-5 pickled jalapeños slices with about a tablespoon of the pickling vinegar;
- Black pepper to taste;
- 1 tablespoon of honey;
- Juice of 1 fresh lime;
- 1 small bunch of fresh coriander.
*If substituting Quorn for beef, you’ll need to pour in a cup of water when adding the mince. Once all the ingredients are in, add another cup.
Method
- Place a large pot on a hob at low heat;
- Pour the olive oil into the pot, add the onion and garlic and one tablespoon of rock salt;
- Sauté for a few minutes;
- Add the mince and cook until brown;
- Add the whole blueberries, chipotle, star anise and another tablespoon of rock salt;
- Gently stir all these ingredients evenly in with the mince (trying to keep the blueberries intact);
- Cook for another minute or two and stir a couple more times;
- Add the bell peppers and stir evenly into the mix;
- Toss in the cinnamon, oregano, cumin, ground ginger, ground coriander, thyme, fennel seed, Worcester sauce and pickled jalapeños slices with pickling vinegar;
- Thoroughly mix;
- Add the honey, fresh black pepper, rest of the salt and lime juice;
- Mix again, place the lid on the pot and let cook for about an hour (tasting and stirring another four or five times during this time);
- Top off with the fresh coriander when serving.
Serving
If you can cook the picadillo several hours (or even preferably an entire day) before you intend to serve it, you’ll find the flavours are more pronounced after reheating than if served soon after cooking. If you do reheat, add a little extra lime juice and top with fresh coriander.
There are a number of ways to enjoy this recipe: served in bowl with quinoa and fresh coriander over a bed of salad greens(as pictured at the top of this post); as a main course with rice; as a filling for burritos, tacos or sloppy Joe sandwiches; cooked with potatoes and carrots as a stew; or pat together with about a half cup of quinoa and re-cooked as fried-up hamburger patties or baked as meatballs.
Read more tikichris recipes.
