Picadillo with Mexican Rice
| August 10, 2010 | Posted by Reeni under Beef recipes, Brown Rice, Mexican, Mexican recipes, Rice, Side dish recipes, Side Dishes, Tex-Mex, Tex-Mex recipes |
A set of Tex-Mex style recipes for Picadillo and Mexican Rice adapted from the Los Barrios Family Cookbook straight from the heart of San Antonio, Texas. Picadillo is found in Spanish and Latin American cooking and every country has their own version. Made from ground beef with garlic, onions, bell peppers and tomatoes; it’s delicious all on it’s own, served over Mexican rice or as a filling for tacos and chalupas. Or nachos.
I made lettuce wraps with mine, tacos and ate it spooned over rice. It’s so mildly seasoned that I needed to slap my hand away from the spice cabinet. Many times. I was committed to experiencing the recipe as is. And while everyone loved it, myself included, I would of liked it to be spicier. Next time.
The vegetable packed Mexican rice echoes the picadillo by using garlic, onion, tomato, bell pepper and my own addition, fresh corn. Traditionally made with white rice I used brown. I use any and every opportunity to sneak in nutrition where I can. The rice soaks up all the juices from the vegetables especially the tomato resulting in a seriously flavorful and somewhat addicting rice.
You may recognize the author of this cookbook, Diane Barrios Trevino, from Bobby Flay’s ‘Puffy Taco’ Showdown. She owns the Los Barrios restaurant in San Antonio famous for making some of the best puffy tacos. A puffy taco is made by deep frying corn tortillas until they bubble up to become light, airy and crisp. It’s then filled as a traditional taco shell would be. I hope to tackle the puffy taco someday soon, and naturally, share it with you. Trevino says “You are in for the treat of a lifetime.”
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Picadillo
(adapted from Los Barrios Family Cookbook pg. 129)
1 pound Ground Beef
1 + 1/2 cups warm Water
1/2 teaspoon Cumin
1/2 teaspoon Chile Powder
1/4 teaspoon Garlic Powder
1/4 teaspoon Onion Powder
1 teaspoon Sea or Kosher Salt
1/4 teaspoon Black Pepper
3 cloves Garlic, minced
1/2 Onion, diced
1 Tomato, diced
1/2 Green Bell Pepper, diced
1. In a large skillet cook the beef over medium heat, breaking up any lumps until browned. Drain grease. Stir in 1/2 cup of water and the dry spices including salt and pepper. Cook for 8 to 10 minutes over medium-low heat.
2. Add garlic, onion, tomato, and bell pepper. Cook until tender about 10 minutes. Stir in remaining cup of water and simmer for 10 more minutes or until most of the water is cooked off. Turn up heat slightly if needed to cook off water. Serve as is with Mexican Rice or use to make tacos, nachos or chalupas.
Variation: Add pecans and raisins two minutes before it’s done.
Mexican Rice
(adapted from Los Barrios Family Cookbook pg. 159)
3 tablespoons Canola oil
1/2 Onion, diced
1 Garlic clove, minced
1/2 Green Bell Pepper, diced
2 Tomatoes, diced
1 large ear of Corn, kernels removed (about 3/4 cup)
3/4 teaspoon Sea or Kosher Salt
1 + 1/2 cup White or Brown Rice, cooked
1. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-low heat. Add onion and saute until tender. Add garlic and saute until fragrant. Add pepper, tomatoes, and corn saute 7-8 minutes.
2. Stir in rice and season with salt. Heat through.
Printable Recipes (Both)
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I would like to send a huge thank-you over to Sweetlife for sending me this cookbook! I love it. Everyone who loves or even likes Tex-Mex food should own it.
Please link your side dishes using corn here for Side Dish Saturdays.
Link your Bobby Flay burgers here for the Burger Club.
I’m sending this to Two for Tuesdays: Celebrate Real Food hosted by my friend Heather of Girlichef.
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I really loved trying out this new recipe, though I did change a little slightly. Both my boyfriend & I thoroughly enjoyed having this for dinner & would recommend this to any of my cooking friends!Thanks for sharing your zesty recipes & the lovely results!-Caroline
Yum, this looks so tasty and perfect for summer, I love theway you showed it in the lettuce wrap. Delish!
Great recipe! I made this one tonight and my husband LOVED it! I melted some cheese on a tortilla (I love burritos) and then added the rice and meat mixtures. He added a little sour cream to his and it was such a classic mexican dish. So good! The only thing I would not have you forget is the salt. My meat mixture needed some salt. But this dish is very good! Thanks for posting. Keep up the good work.
Cin, you made me drool all over my computer screen! I am SO making this tonight for dinner! I have a pound of grass fed ground beef ready to go! The only change I will make is using olive oil instead of canola which I no longer use. I am also sharing this in the Blog Hop highlights in my Thoughts on Friday link love! Thanks so much for sharing it with us on the two for tuesday recipe blog hop! alex@amoderatelife
This looks so good, I think I will make it for tonight's dinner. Thanks for the great idea! New reader, I stopped by after I saw Moon's picture on a comment at Smokey Mountain Cafe.
I love the idea of putting this in lettuce wraps! Looks delish, I love mexican food :)
I love homemade Mexican Rice – despise any other – I have always wanted to make a picadillo and I think my family would love this. Thanks for linking this to Two for Tuesdays!
It's hard not to add a personal spin and I imagine you slapping your own hand! The display is awesome and Tex-Mex, an all time favorite! I'll have to check out the cookbook. Sweetlife did a fine review series as I remember.
This looks so warming and comforting. I feel as if I could dive right into it. *kisses* HH
I try really hard to follow the recipe as written the first time to see what the writer intended. I must admit it is a challenge.This looks like a delicious.Mimi
Well your super sweet, no thanks needed I am glad you featured picadillo and the mexican rice, I love her cookbook, super easy nd with great love…great postsweetlife
You know, before I stopped eating red meat, when my Mom was alive she would make a dish for my brother and I that was just like this, except it was cooked over corn bread. So, as soon as I saw the picture of your lovely dish I was instantly transported to that memory and smiling. Food is a powerful thing. Thank you so much for sharing.
Ur lettuce wraps look awesome! I am going to give that a try! Would luv to try the cookbook — I remember the puffy tacos. My son is about to start college in San Antonio; good reminder to look that place up! Thanx for a scrumptious post!
Looks excellent! Mexican food is one of my favorite and with your special touch it become more delectable!
Awesome presentation! Now this is a dish that was made often in my home. My Mom made this so well with homemade tortillas.
havent had an authentic mexican recipe yet , looking forward for one, till then will stick to trying them at home. Love the recipe :)
Reeni, you did it again – this looks delicious! And, the pictures are gorgeous.
Oh, I love this simple meal. The flavors and colors are great!
I'm all about big flavors as well, so yeah. I know what you mean! This looks fantastic though, Reeni. Picadillo is one of my favorite ways to eat ground beef. So tasty!
Hi!Great site and great stuff……This is so pretty! incredible images!rice look absolutely delicious!! thanks for sharing such a wonderful post!John WilliamsZubaida
I remember the "puffy taco" throwdown! ;-) Love picadillo and I love the idea of serving it in lettuce wraps–what a great idea.
I just love picadillo!!!We also have a different kind of Picadillo around here..The Peach Kitchenpeach and thingsblowing peachkisses
I always make extra, so that I have leftovers. I think leftover picadillo is even better than fresh, especially when eaten with the fingers while standing with the refrigerator door open ;) Thanks for linking up with Two for Tuesday.
Well, doesn't this look amazing? :P
100% USDA of delicious! Who says lettuce wraps have to be Asian dishes? I love these and bookmarked this.
I love many veggies are packed in the rice – it looks so tasty!
great great pictures on this one. one of my favorite meals in life.
This would make a great lettuce wrap filling or nacho topping. So many great ideas! Thanks for sharing :)
As a new Texas resident, this post is perfect! I've been looking for a recipe for Mexican rice specifically, so I was thrilled to see this. Looks delicious!
My mom made a version like this for us growing up. She called it "Mexicali" and still throws it together. Love this kind of cooking.
Looks amazing! I love Mexican food! And your pictures are so beautiful!
oh wow, i love everything about this dish!d
oh wow, that looks amazing!
I am loving the Mexican rice very much! I'm sure my kids will like it too. Will try it out soon! Thanks for sharing & hope you're enjoying your day, Reeni.Cheers, kristy
Great idea to use a lettuce wrap! Those look really good! I wish I had known about those puffy tacos when we visited San Antonio last year – but then again, maybe it's a good idea I didn't for cravings sake!Purrs to Moon!
Oh Reeni, this looks terrific! I've never had picadillo before, I know it's something I would love. I use brown rice all the time too. Love it! I can't remember the last time I used white. These look like two great recipes, thank you!
Everything looks great Reeni! I love how you wrapped it in lettuce, so healthy and delicious!
Now I'm officially starving!
LOL, I can just picture you holding yourself back from the spice cabinet! That said…it looks and sounds great- I love your addition of corn and brown rice. I'd love to wrap this up in some lettuce and eat myself healthy!! And yeah, ever since I read Sweetlife's series on Barrios, I've been wanting to check out this book! Thank you, Reeni for sharing this with Two for Tuesdays this week!! =)
the closest I've come to anything mexican is tacos…lol This looks really good though
Arriba arriba, ándale, ándale.Speedy Gonzales, should be turning up at your door soon.Awesome dish ♥
Love mexican foods. I am drooling here and it's really a great presentation.
I love picadillo (Cuban style) and make it often. I love how you served yours in lettuce wraps.
I love the TX shout out in this post but I totally hear you – I literally cannot make myself follow recipes as written, so congratulations on your self discipline!I've never made picadillo before but now feel obligated. Wonderful post as usual!
Beautiful Mexican rice. I have just fallen in love with Mexican food recently. I'm in love with this one too :D Looks very delicious. Thanks very much for sharing.
STANDING UP AND CLAPPING OUT LOUD.YUUUUUUM !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I tried Mexican rice this week too and also had to keep myself from adding spices…but then I poured hot sauce on top. Whoops. Love the idea of picadillo on top. Am kind of obsessed with picadillo, to tell you the truth.
I have been totally into Mexican lateyl and may have most of the fisin's for this in the fridge-great recipe!!anne http://www.anniebakes.net
This spicy dish is absolutely delicious. Your pictures are mouth-watering dear. Great ^__^
The picadillo sounds great with the veggie-packed rice, and as a lettuce wrap is a really good idea! Also, I love puffy tacos. I've never made them at home, but they're a favorite of mine at local restaurants.
Beautiful pictures and fantastic looking recipes! I'm bookmarking them for sure!
I made picadillo once for the daily special where I work- except I used chicken instead of ground beef. Also, the recipe I used called for olives and potatoes. It was a hit, and one of the staff there has been asking for me to make it again sometime. Since it's been about a year, I should probably get on that.
This Tex-mex dish is awesome. I love the clicks. I need to shop for corn.
Great pictures! I love Mexican food. These dishes must be really tasty.
Ha! I was intending to make Mexican rice for dinner tonight…I'm gonna use your recipe.~ingrid
This is my kind of meal! All of the perfect flavors I am looking for. You must have been reading my mind as I have been craving Mexican rice!
Ohh adorable this picadillo – a staple here – and delectable your yummy version!Cheers,Gera
Liked the Mexican rice recipe n beautifully presented..
Omg that looks so good. I love the recipe.
This is so pretty! I love it, especially as a lettuce wrap, I'm keeping this one for sure, thanks!
I have not had expirence with mexican food, but this jus tlooks so so good.
what incredible images!! and your picadillo and rice look absolutely delicious!! thanks for sharing such a wonderful post!