Candied ground beef

Ground beef with assorted dried fruits may not seem like the best combination, but they really pair very well, and you can adjust the sweetness by adding fewer fruits or a specific fruit of your choice. The combinations are endless. It is a great side dish for a Christmas or New Year’s Eve dinner.

Ingredients:

• 2 lbs. lean ground beef
• 1 small onion, finely chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 cup of assorted dried fruits of your choice, finely chopped (for this recipe we recommend: dried apples, mango, papaya, pineapple, peaches, nectarines, apricots, pitted prunes and/or raisins)
• 1/2 cup of nuts, finely chopped (pecas and/or walnuts)
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Olive oil

For the tomato sauce:

• 4 large size tomatoes, quartered
• 1 small onion, quartered
• 2 garlic cloves
• 4 cups of water
• 2 tbsp. chicken bouillon powder
• salt and pepper to taste

Preparation:

Preparation:

Prepare the tomato sauce first: In the blender add the tomatoes, onion and garlic cloves, chicken bouillon powder, salt and pepper, cover with 4 cups of water and blend.

In a large pot over medium heat, fry the onion and the garlic with about 4 tbsp. of olive oil. When the onion caramelizes add the ground beef, season with salt, pepper, cover with lid and mix occasionally until the beef is fully cooked. Add the tomato sauce plus the chopped fruits and nuts. Let it simmer for about 20 minutes or until the tomato sauce is fully cooked and most of the liquid evaporates.

Prepare this dish in advance of your Christmas or New Year’s Eve dinner. It’s an excellent pair for a turkey dinner. Enjoy!