My Delicious Version of Puerto Rican Sofrito!

As promised, here is my twist of a very ancient tradition of my country Puerto Rico.
I will start of by explaining to you what is sofrito.

Sofrito is a sauce used as a base in Spanish, Portuguese, and Latin American cooking. Preparations vary, but sofrito typically consists of aromatic ingredients cut into small pieces and sauteed or braised in cooking oil or just blended and used as is.

 In Puerto Rican cuisine, it is mostly used when cooking legumes, rice dishes, sauces, soups and stews and most favorite for creating delicious flavored meat. The two main ingredients that give Puerto Rican sofrito its characteristic flavor are recao (culantro) and ají dulce, but cubanelle peppers, roasted red pepper, yellow onions, garlic, plum tomatoes and cilantro, are also added. Sofrito is traditionally cooked with olive oil or annatto oil, tocino (bacon), salted pork and cured ham. A mix of stuffed olives and capers called alcaparrado is usually added with spices such as bay leaf, cumin, sazón and adobo.

 

My Version of the Puerto Rican Sofrito

(You can add all the ingredients you like this  is YOUR Sofrito)

 

1- Chopped White/ Yellow Onion (medium)

1-Chopped Red Onion (medium)

-1 Large Whole Garlic Clove

1 pkg of Aji Dulce

1-pkg of Recaito

1-pkg of Cilantro

1-Cured ham

1/4 cup of Olive Oil or Water

1 tsp. of Salt

1-Large Red Pepper

1-Large Green Pepper

1-Large Orange Pepper (optional)

 



 

After you washed and cut into pieces all of the ingredients. You must place the Olive Oil first in the blender. Then you can add the ingredients. You do not have to add them all at once.

 

 

Once your done take a spoon and mix everything well. I will look similar  to this... 

 

 

Also, very frequently it is also sauteed first and then blended instead of frozen right after blending.

It is your choice. Similar to this..

 

 

It will look similar to this or red depending on which ingredient you added more of. Have fun with flavors. This is your sofrito and you know what you like best. You can also put in bowls.

(similar to pictures shown)

 

 

 

You can freeze some and make them into cubes for better portions as shown on picture and save some in a jar to season your meat or add to your recipes.





 

PLEASE KEEP IN FREEZER IF IN CUBES

 OR REFRIGERATED IF IN BOWLS OR JARS.

SALT IS ADDED NOT ONLY FOR FLAVOR BUT ALSO FOR PRESERVATION.

 

Enjoy!!

Any questions please comment ;)