Cuban picadillo tacos with quinoa black bean avocado salad

Cuban picadillo

From “Saveur: The New Classics Cookbook”

Ingredients

1½ pounds ground beef

5 garlic cloves, minced

1 green pepper, seeded and chopped

2 green onions, chopped

14 pitted green olives, chopped

¼ cup raisins

1½ tablespoons capers, drained

1 bay leaf

¾ teaspoon ground cumin

½ teaspoon dried oregano

1 cup tomato sauce

¼ cup dry sherry

1½ tablespoon olive oil

10 tacos or 3 cups cooked hot rice

Method

Mix all ingredients except olive oil in a bowl. Cover and let sit for 30 minutes at room temperature. Heat oil in large pan over medium heat. Add beef mixture and cook for 40 minutes. Season with salt and remove bay leaf.

Serve over rice or in a taco. Makes enough for about 10 generous tacos. I suppose you can add toppings, but it really doesn't need any gilding.

Rating: Quite tasty. And the dish can be made several days ahead and reheated, which makes it an ideal weeknight supper candidate.

Red quinoa salad with black beans and avocado

From the Merc Co-Op in Lawrence, Kan., via Lily Siebert in the Star Tribune

Ingredients

1 cup red quinoa

2 cups water

2 tablespoons fresh lime juice

2 tablespoons light oil (I used a light-tasting olive oil)

1 teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon ground cumin

½ cup finely chopped red onion

1 can black beans, rinsed and drained

1 avocado, chopped

¼ cup minced cilantro

Method

Bring quinoa and water to a boil in a saucepan. Simmer, covered, until cooked, about 15 minutes. Let cool.

Whisk together lime juice, oil, salt and cumin. Toss quinoa with onion, beans, avocado and cilantro. Add dressing and toss to coat.

Rating: This was really tasty, and paired really well with the tacos, although it could certainly serve as a meatless main dish. I prepared most of this salad in advance and brought it to room temperature while I reheated the taco filling, then mixed in the avocado at the last minute to avoid browning.