Sofrito!

If you are pressed for time and you like home-cooked nutritious meals for your family, this recipe is a MUST.  You can freeze the mixture or keep in the back of your fridge.   Sofrito (aka Puerto Rican mirepoix) is used in Latin and Caribbean dishes to add flavor to rice, beans, stews, meats– just about anything!

Cilantro (and extra onion and garlic) will substitute for when you don’t have your own on hand.  Store brand sofrito or recaito can also be purchased- but most often contains additives or MSG!

This particular recipe is a variant of Puerto Rican style  sofrito.  I have found many other ways to use sofrito including in guacamole,  moussaka, curry and Thai dishes.  Here’s the link to some of my recipes using sofrito.

Sofrito

Yield:  Enough for 2 months of cooking

• 1 large or two medium yellow onions*
• 2 large bell peppers*
• 1-2  heads of garlic*
• 1 large bunch of cilantro*
• 1 bunch of recao (aka culantro or long coriander leaves) (if you can’t find, use more cilantro)
• Two handfuls (12-15) of aji dulce (be careful not to use the identical but SPICY ajis– unless, of course you’re into super-spice)  (if you can’t find use more bell pepper)
• ¼ cup of olive oil and water enough to blend*

* essential ingredient

Peel and slice the onion

Remove stems of peppers and cut into small chunks

Thoroughly rinse the cilantro & recao and trim stems

Peel garlic

Place ingredients, one at a time,  into blender or large food processor and blend.  Alternate adding amounts of liquid and ingredients and stir when needed to ensure well blended… Store in glass jar with lid and freeze remainder for use later.  My mother freezes the sofrito in ice-cube trays and uses 2-3 cubes as  needed.

Note:  Use lemon essential oil to remove the strong smell from your blender or other cooking tools (including your hands)– it works wonders…

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Tags: beans, cilantro, goya, mirepoix, puerto rico, recao, recipe, sofrito, vegan