Picadillo is served throughout Central and South America and the Caribbean. It is one of Latin America’s staples. Each country, even each household, has its favorite version. Picadillo is traditionally served with rice and beans or used as a filling in tacos or empanadas. Most picadillos are ground beef simmered with a sofrito of tomatoes, onions, peppers, herbs, and spices. Sometimes regional vegetables and ingredients are added. We think frozen and thawed tofu gives this picadillo the chewy texture of classic picadillos.
Our friend Ian Irvin’s picadillo, which he learned to make as a child in Cuba, is the inspiration for our vegetarian (and vegan) version.
Yields 6 cups
Time to freeze and thaw the tofu: at least 12 hours
Time: 1 hour
1 (16-ounce block) tofu, frozen and thawed*
1½ cups diced onions
3 garlic cloves, minced or pressed (1 tablespoon)
2 tablespoons olive oil
1¼ teaspoons salt
1 cup diced green bell peppers
1½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 large bay leaf
¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
1 (28-ounce) can diced tomatoes
⅓ cup raisins
⅓ cup coarsely ground almonds
2 tablespoons soy sauce
⅓ cup sliced stuffed Spanish olives or Castelvetrano olives
*When tofu is frozen, the water within it separates into little cells and leaves the tofu like a sponge. After it has thawed, it has a chewy texture, and you squeeze out the water and crumble or shred the tofu. To freeze, put the block of tofu on a plate in the freezer until frozen solid, about 4 hours in most freezers. If you’re going to keep the tofu in the freezer longer than a day, put it in a freezer bag to prevent freezer burn. Thaw the frozen block of tofu in the refrigerator for at least 8 hours. Or you can thaw it at room temperature, usually in a few hours. When we’ve forgotten to take it out of the freezer, we’ve even thawed it in a 250ºF oven for about 30 minutes, turning it over every 10 minutes. Drained, thawed tofu will keep well wrapped in the refrigerator for a day, but it should be used soon.
Make the sofrito: In a heavy-bottomed saucepan, sauté the onions and garlic in the olive oil along with the salt for 5 minutes, until the onions are translucent. Add the bell peppers, cinnamon, cumin, bay leaf, and black pepper and cook for another 5 minutes, stirring often and scraping the bottom of the pan to prevent the spices from sticking or scorching. Stir in the tomatoes and raisins, cover the pan, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 20 minutes.
While the sofrito simmers, toast the almonds and set aside to cool. When the almonds have cooled to room temperature, whirl them in a food processor just until coarsely ground. Hold the thawed tofu over a colander and squeeze out as much water as you can. The colander will catch any pieces of tofu that may fall. Crumble or grate the tofu into a mixing bowl. Toss with the soy sauce and ground almonds.
When the sofrito has simmered for 20 minutes, stir in the tofu-almond mixture. Add the sliced olives (or serve them later at the table). Simmer for another 10 minutes. The mixture will be quite thick; stir frequently to prevent sticking and add a little water if needed.
Use as a filling for tacos, burritos, or empanadas. Or serve on yellow rice and top with chopped fresh parsley or cilantro and a dollop of sour cream. Add a side of fried plantains, a tangy slaw, and sliced tropical fruit, such as mango, papaya, or pineapple for a very satisfying meal.