Cuban dish "Picadillo"

Ingredients:

• 450 gr. chorizo made from beef or a mixture of beef and pork
• 1/3 cup chopped Spanish olives stuffed with pimento peppers with 1 tablespoon of the brine from the jar
• 1/3 cup dry white wine or dry sherry
• 10 chopped cherry tomatoes or 1 can (225 g) diced tomatoes in their own juice
• 1/3 cup tomato paste
• 2 tbsp. l. olive oil
• 1 large onion, finely chopped (about 2 cups)
• 4 crushed cloves of garlic
• 2 bay leaves
• 1/3 cup raisins
• 2 tsp dried oregano
• 2 tsp ground cumin
• 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper (optional)
• Salt and ground black pepper

Preparation:

1. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion, garlic, and bay leaves and cook, stirring frequently, until the onion is soft, about 4 minutes.
   
   Add the ground beef to the pan and brown it. Once the meat is browned, carefully remove the pan from the heat, tilt it, and scoop out any excess fat with a large spoon.
2. Pour in the white wine and stir for another minute. Then add the chopped cherry tomatoes, tomato paste, pimento-stuffed Spanish olives, raisins, dried oregano, cumin, and cayenne pepper. Simmer over low heat for another 8 minutes, stirring occasionally. Season with salt and pepper. Yield: 6 tbsp.
   
   Serve the dish warm. in various variations:
   
   • As a filling for empanadas or tacos
     
   • With white rice and fried plantains or black beans
     
   • With salad as a side dish and black beans
     
   • To make picadillo soup to serve with rice, add more wine, chicken or beef broth.