Categories: Meats, Latin, Usenet 
      Yield: 6 servings 
  
      3 tb Olive oil or 
           -vegetable oil 
      2 lb Ground beef, lean 
      1 lg Onion, finely chopped 
      1    Garlic clove, 
           -finely chopped 
      3 md Tomatoes, peeled 
           -and chopped 
      2    Tart cooking apples, 
           -peeled, cored 
           -and chopped 
    1/2 c  Almonds, slivered 
      1    Jalapeno chili, seeded 
           -and chopped (or more 
           -to taste) 
    1/2 c  Raisins (soaked 10 
           -minutes in warm water) 
    1/2 c  Pimento-stuffed olives, 
           -halved crosswise 
    1/2 ts Oregano 
    1/2 ts Thyme 
           Salt 
           Pepper 
      1 tb Butter 
  
  Heat the oil in a large, heavy skillet.  Add the beef and saute until it is 
  lightly browned, stirring to break up any lumps.  Add the onion and garlic 
  and saute for 5 minutes longer. Add all the remaining ingredients except 
  the butter and the almonds. Mix well and simmer, uncovered, over moderate 
  heat, stirring from time to time, for 20 minutes. 
   
  In a small skillet, heat the butter and saute the almonds until they are 
  golden brown. 
   
  Mound the beef onto a serving platter and sprinkle with the almonds. 
  Surround it with a border of rice. 
   
  NOTES: 
   
  *  Latin-American seasoned chopped beef -- I got this recipe from net.cooks 
  in the fall of 1983. It was posted by houxm!houxz!llf. 
   
  *  Picadillo is a great favorite throughout Latin America, and every 
  country has its own version. In Mexico it is much appreciated as a filling 
  for tacos, empanadas, tamales and green peppers. In the north of the 
  country it is popular on its own and is eaten as a main dish, accompanied 
  by rice, beans, guacamole and tortillas. 
   
  *  Variations:  Instead of oregano and thyme, use a pinch or two of 
  cinnamon and ground cloves. This makes an interesting difference in flavor, 
  giving the dish an almost Middle Eastern taste. 
   
  *  In Chihuahua, the apple is left out and 4 medium potatoes, cooked and 
  cubed, and about 2 C cooked green peas are added to the beef at the end of 
  the cooking time for just long enough to heat them through. This makes a 
  nice one-dish meal. 
   
  *  Picadillo de la Costa from the state of Guerrero, best known for the 
  beach resort of Acapulco, uses the tropical fruits in which the region 
  abounds, and instead of beef uses an equal mixture of ground pork and veal. 
  The method is the same but the meats, with the onion, garlic, tomatoes, hot 
  peppers, salt and pepper, are cooked, uncovered, for 15 minutes. Then add 
  about 1 1/2 C pineapple chunks, 2 pears (peeled, cored and cut in chunks) 
  and 2 bananas (peeled and sliced) are added and the mixture simmered for 15 
  minutes longer over low heat. Sprinkle with almonds just before serving. 
  This is a delicious summer dish, good with plain rice. 
   
  *  In addition to the almonds, I add fresh coriander leaves as a garnish. 
   
  : Difficulty:  easy. 
  : Time:  20 minutes preparation. 
  : Precision:  approximate measurement OK. 
   
  : Nancy Mintz 
  : UNIX System Development Lab, AT&T-IS, Summit, NJ 
  : ihnp4!attunix!nlm 
   
  : Copyright (C) 1986 USENET Community Trust