Sofrito

What it is: This is the seasoning used in many many Puerto
Rican Dishes. We use this in meat stews, bean stews, soups, meat sauces, etc. This, though rather strange in appearance gives our foods a blast of flavor. Because this is an ingredient in many dishes rather than a dish, it is perhaps the most important one in here.


How to make it:

1 bunch of Cilantro aka Recao
1 head of garlic
3 large onions
1 lb. sweet peppers (these are small and hard to find in stores.)
2 large bell peppers
1 small jar roasted red peppers
2 tbsp. crushed oregano (fresh)
1 tbsp. salt
1 tsp. black pepper
1 cup EVOO (extra virgin olive oil)

Peel, wash, chop and seed ingredients and then toss into the blender. You can then store in a container and refrigerate or freeze.

NOTES:

I usually have this prepped in the fridge so it's available when I cook. The initial color of this seasoning will vary from a reddish orange, to green (depending on the peppers and ingredients.)

A dish good enough for 3-7 people will usually require one cooking spoon worth of sofrito, aka... 1/2 a cup.