Vegan Mofo 2019 Day #7: Picadello

The seventh Vegan Mofo tribute post to Caribbean cuisine is picadello, a celebrated Cuban dish that features unexpected delights in its slow simmered ground beef— like raisins, capers, and olives. I veganized an All Recipes version. Now I personally abhor olives though known to enjoy a good tampanede from time to time. At the grocery store, there were shelves upon shelves of olives, but certainly no tampanade to sneak in as an olive component. Also, I omitted the green bell pepper because one simply has to be in the mood to tolerate them.
This recipe calls for Sazon Seasoning and brands like Goya often times contains dyes and MSG. Here is an easy homemade one:

1 tablespoon kosher salt
1 tablespoon whole black peppercorns, toasted then ground
1 tablespoon garlic powder
1 tablespoon ground coriander seed
1 tablespoon cumin seed, toasted then ground
1 tablespoon Mexican oregano, (or dried marjoram or verbena)
1 tablespoon achiote seeds (or 1/2 teaspoon turmeric and 1/2 teaspoon sweet paprika) 

Mix ingredients together well and use 1.5 teaspoons for each packet of the Goya Sazon your recipe calls for.

Picadello can be a side dish for rice, served with fried plantains or used as taco or empanada filling. I made tacos of course. I wish that I had vegan sour cream or plain yogurt on hand to mix with lime and cilantro— would have made for excellent topping to these incredibly fulfilling tacos.

Picadello Ingredients and Preparation

2 tablespoon coconut or olive oil
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1/2 cup white onion, chopped
1 12 oz package Lightlife Soy Ground (or any other vegan ground)
1 14 oz can salt free diced tomatoes
2 tablespoon Sazon Seasoning
1/2 cup raisins
1 tablespoon capers
1 tablespoon cumin
fresh thyme for tasty decoration (optional)

In a skillet, heat oil with garlic and onion, stirring for seven minutes or so.
Add remainder of ingredients except thyme.
Simmer soy ground for ten minutes.
Serve warm with thyme.