Warm up with picadillo and fried plantains

Picadillo is a classic comfort food across Latin America, the Caribbean, and the Philippines, and on a cold winter night, a hot bowl of this fragrant beef stew makes a fantastic meal that everyone will enjoy.

Ingredients are easy to find, the prep is simple, it reheats well, and tastes even better the next day. Sweet fried plantain slices are a perfect accompaniment.

Ingredients:
About 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 yellow onions, diced
2 ounces dried chorizo, diced
4 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
1-1/2 pounds ground beef
Salt and pepper to taste
1 28-ounce can whole tomatoes, drained and crushed
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
2 teaspoons ground cumin
2 bay leaves
Pinch ground cloves
Pinch nutmeg
2/3 cup raisins
2/3 cup pitted olives
2 ripe sliced plantains (look for a yellow peel with black spots)
1 cup vegetable oil for frying plantains

Heat olive oil in a large pan over medium-high heat until the oil shimmers. Add onions, chorizo, and garlic and saute until the onions have started to soften. Add the ground beef use a fork to crumble the meat while it browns. Add salt and pepper to taste after the meat is cooked. Add tomatoes, vinegar, cinnamon, cumin, bay leaves, cloves, and nutmeg, stir to combine. Cover the pan and let simmer for about 30 minutes, then add the raisins and olives. Simmer uncovered for another 15 minutes or so. Meanwhile, fry plantain slices in hot oil for two to three minutes per side.

Serve stew and plantains over white rice.