Beef picadillo is an easy-to-prepare, full-flavored rustic Portuguese dish. Tender beef strips in a spicy, rich and delicious gravy, accented with salty pimenta salgada and black olives. My first experience with this dish was at the Terra Nostra restaurant in Fall River, Massachusetts, where it is offered as an appetizer.

Beef picadillo is best with sirloin tips but it will work really well with many economical cuts of beef including London Broil, top round, etc. When using more economical cuts of beef be sure to increase the simmering time so the beef reaches desired tenderness.

Occasionally, when I want to church this dish up for company or a special occasion, I grill or broil the sirloin tips instead of browning them in the pan. Either way, be sure to have lots of good bread on hand. Sopping up the delicious gravy is one of the best parts of this recipe.

(The recipe below is based on a recipe I received from my friend Mary Arruda of Fall River, Massachusetts.)

Beef Picadillo

15-20 saffron threads (steeped in 1/4 cup of spring water overnight)
2-3 lbs. Sirloin tips (cut into 3/8" strips OR London broil, top round, etc. cut into 3/8" strips on the bias)
2 Tbs sweet butter
2 Tbs Portuguese olive oil
1-1/2 heads of garlic (peeled and lightly crushed)
1-1/2 cups red wine (preferably Portuguese Dao)
1 tsp smoked paprika
1 Tbs hot crushed pepper
1 tsp fresh cracked black pepper
1 Tbs acafroa (safflower powder)
1/2 can pitted black olives
1/3 cup pimenta salgada (sliced in strips)
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

Place an appropriate-sized pan over medium-high heat.

Add the olive oil and butter. When the butter is melted, add the garlic and sautee slowly until soft.

Add the meat to the pan and thoroughly brown.

Add the wine, paprika, hot crushed pepper, black pepper and acafroa. Cook the mixture at a low simmer until the meat reaches desired tenderness. NOTE: sirloin tips will reach desired tenderness quicker than London broil and other cuts of beef.  If you need to add a little water while simmering, that is fine.

Once the meat reaches the desired tenderness, remove it from the sauce. Set it aside in a covered bowl to keep it warm.

Raise the heat on the pan and reduce the sauce to a gravy consistency.

Lower the heat, reintroduce the meat, add the olives and pimenta salgada, toss to coat and then add the chopped parsley.

Serve with a good crusty bread like Portuguese pao secos. Serve with chilled Portuguese dao wine.