• Log in
  • Cart (0)
  • Checkout
  • Home
  • About Us 
    • Our Story
    • Locations
    • FAQ
    • Press
    • Our Partners
    • Stockists
    • Join Our Team
  • Spices & Salts 
    • All Products
    • Baking
    • Blends & Rubs 
      • Oaktown Originals
      • Classics from Around the World
      • Grilling & BBQ
      • Curries
      • Herbaceous
      • Hot & Spicy
      • Salt-Free Blends
      • Garlic & Onion-Free Blends
    • Chiles & Paprika
    • Garlic & Onion
    • Herbs and Botanicals
    • Peppercorns
    • Salts
    • Seeds & Aromatics
    • Single-Origin Spices
  • Teas
  • Top Sellers
  • Gifts 
    • Gift Boxes
    • Gift Cards
    • Tonic Water Kits
    • Corporate Gifts
    • Merch
  • Recipes
  • Events
  • Home
  • About Us 
    • Our Story
    • Locations
    • FAQ
    • Press
    • Our Partners
    • Stockists
    • Join Our Team
  • Spices & Salts 
    • All Products
    • Baking
    • Blends & Rubs 
      • Oaktown Originals
      • Classics from Around the World
      • Grilling & BBQ
      • Curries
      • Herbaceous
      • Hot & Spicy
      • Salt-Free Blends
      • Garlic & Onion-Free Blends
    • Chiles & Paprika
    • Garlic & Onion
    • Herbs and Botanicals
    • Peppercorns
    • Salts
    • Seeds & Aromatics
    • Single-Origin Spices
  • Teas
  • Top Sellers
  • Gifts 
    • Gift Boxes
    • Gift Cards
    • Tonic Water Kits
    • Corporate Gifts
    • Merch
  • Recipes
  • Events
Recipes

Picadillo with Almond Crema and Apple Pico de Gallo

August 17, 2023

Picadillo with Almond Crema and Apple Pico de Gallo

Recipe and text by Ray Seraphin.

This picadillo recipe is part Mexican chiles en nogada and part Puerto Rican picadillo. The combination of olives and fruit may sound unusual at first, but it results in an umami bomb of flavor. Our Carlito's Rojito Yucatan blend brings all of these seemingly disparate ingredients together with warm, savory notes of cumin, coriander, citrus zest, and allspice. 

Time: 1-1.5 hours
Difficulty: easy
Yield: 6 servings

Ingredients

Picadillo:

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 yellow onion, diced
1 poblano, diced
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1.5 lbs ground beef (80/20)
1 tablespoon Pacific Flake Sea Salt or Diamond Crystal Kosher Salt
1 tablespoon Oaktown Spice Shop Carlito's Rojito Yucatan
2 teaspoons amchoor powder
2 teaspoons ground ancho chile
1 14.5 oz can fire roasted tomatoes
1/2 cup low-sodium chicken stock
1/3 cup raisins
1/2 cup tart cooking apple (like Pink Lady or McIntosh), small diced 
1/3 cup green olives with pimento, halved 
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
2 bay leaves
1/4 cup toasted slivered almonds
squeeze of lime

Optional garnishes:
Goat cheese
Cilantro
Pomegranate arils

Almond Crema:

1 cup toasted slivered almonds, soaked overnight or boiled for 10 minutes
1/2 cup full fat sour cream or Mexican crema
4 oz goat cheese
1/3 cup half and half
2 teaspoons Pacific Flake Sea Salt
2 teaspoons cane sugar
1 lime, juiced and zested

Apple Pico de Gallo:

1/2 tart cooking apple, minced
1 jalapeño, de-seeded and minced
1/2 onion, minced
½  bunch cilantro leaves, minced
1 lime, juiced and zested
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon olive oil

Directions

First, make the almond crema: Rinse soaked or boiled almonds and then blend them with goat cheese, sour cream, half & half, sugar, salt, lime zest, and lime juice. Blend on high until the purée is mostly smooth — about 4-5 minutes.

Next, prepare pico de gallo: Toss the minced apple, jalapeño, onion, and cilantro in a bowl with lime juice, zest, salt, and oil. Allow to sit for 10-15 minutes until onion softens.

Make the picadillo: Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Once oil is shimmering, add onion and poblano. Sauté for 5-7 minutes or until onion softens, add tomato paste, garlic, salt, Carlito's Yucatán Rub, amchoor, and ancho chile powder to the onion-poblano mixture. Cook the mixture until tomato paste begins to darken — about 2 minutes.

Add beef and break it into chunks with your spatula. Continue cooking for 5-7 minutes until the beef is browned. Add tomatoes, raisins, apples, olives, chicken stock, Worcestershire, and bay leaves. Reduce heat to medium-low heat. Cover the pan with a lid and continue cooking for 15-20 minutes or until almost all of the liquid is absorbed. Add almond slivers and season to taste.

Serve with tortillas or rice; optional garnishes of goat cheese, cilantro, and pomegranate arils; and top with almond crema and apple pico de gallo.



Tweet Share Pin It Email

Leave a comment

Comments will be approved before showing up.


Also in Recipes

Chaat-Style Loaded Twice-Baked Potatoes
Chaat-Style Loaded Twice-Baked Potatoes

September 27, 2023

Potatoes play a very important role in Indian street food chaat-style dishes, so chef Nik Sharma figured, why not make a baked potato based on the same principles? 

Continue Reading

Pink Peppercorn & Ginger Shortbread
Pink Peppercorn & Ginger Shortbread

September 11, 2023

Pink peppercorns give these butter-laden cookies a beautiful hot pink color and a sweet, fruity spiciness that isn’t as brash as other peppers. 

Continue Reading

Apple and Honey Powder Galette
Apple and Honey Powder Galette

September 05, 2023

If you are unfamiliar with a galette, it is a pie’s laid back cousin. They are on regular rotation when hosting because of their forgiving nature and ability to please a crowd.

Continue Reading

More Info
  • FAQ
  • Join Our Team
  • Privacy Policy
  • Accessibility
  • Terms and Conditions
  • Return Policy
Sign up for our newsletter

Subscribe to our newsletter for 10% off your first order and always be the first to hear about what is happening.

Contact

Customer Service and Online Mail Orders: 510-270-4816

546 Grand Ave.
Oakland, CA 94610
510-201-5400

1224 Solano Ave.
Albany, CA 94706
510-356-4667

2132 Fillmore St. 
San Francisco, CA 94115
415-374-7942

info@oaktownspiceshop.com

Hours

Oakland: 10am-7pm

Albany: 10am-7pm

San Francisco: 10am-6pm

Online 24/7


© 2023 Oaktown Spice Shop. Powered by Shopify

American Express Apple Pay Diners Club Discover Meta Pay Mastercard Shop Pay Visa