CHINESE PICADILLO

So maybe I am taking liberties with the name of this dish.  I didn’t know what to call it really; I’ve never seen a Chinese dish with ground beef; pork or chicken yes, but not beef.  Picadillo is a Latin dish that consists of ground beef, spices and veggies.  This is very similar to Picadillo, but with Chinese flavors; so yes,  I feel justified in naming this dish Chinese Picadillo.

Here’s what you do.

 

Sauté the onions and mushrooms in a little oil.

 

When the onions are translucent add the garlic, Chinese Five Spice and ground ginger.   

Cook this for a couple of minutes to toast the spices.

Add the ground beef to the skillet to brown.

When the beef has browned, add the corn or peas and the water chestnuts. 

I had planned on using peas, but when I looked in my freezer all I had was corn.  Use which ever you prefer.

Give it a stir.

 

Then add the Chinese cooking wine. 

Allow that to reduce by half.

That is the extent of the photos, for whatever reason I am missing a whole wack of pics. 

  

But do this:

Add the beef broth, soy sauce, honey, rice vinegar, and sesame oil.  Cook until the liquid is reduced to a sauce of just a few tablespoons in the bottom of the skillet.

 

We had Chinese Picadillo with Veggie Fried Rice, but it would also be terrific in lettuce cups.

Serve 4 to 6

1              Tbsp.     Grape seed oil

½                         Large onion, small dice

3 ½          oz.        Shitake mushrooms, small dice

2              cloves   Garlic, minced

1 ½          tsp.       Chinese Five Spice powder

1              tsp.       Ground ginger

1 ½          lbs.        Lean ground beef 

2/3            cup       Frozen corn or peas, thawed

1-8           oz. can   Water chestnuts, small dice

¼             cup       Chinese cooking wine

1              cup       Beef broth, low sodium

3              Tbsp.     Soy sauce

1              Tbsp.     Honey

1              Tbsp.     Rice vinegar

½             tsp.      Sesame oil

1.        Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium to medium high heat.  Sauté the onions and mushrooms, until the onions are translucent. 

2.       Add the garlic, Chinese Five spice and the ginger.  Cook for about 2 minutes. 

3.       Add the ground beef. 

4.       When the beef has browned, add the corn or peas, the water chestnuts and the Chinese cooking wine.  Allow the wine to reduce by half. 

5.       Add the beef broth, soy sauce, honey, and rice vinegar and sesame oil.  Cook until the liquid has reduced to just a few tablespoons in the bottom of the skillet.

*Note, low sodium soy sauce was used in this recipe.  If you only have regular soy sauce, start with only 2 tablespoons, give it a taste if it needs more soy sauce you can add more.

Serve with rice, or in lettuce cups.