Puerto Rican Sofrito

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

[edit] ==Puerto Rican Sofrito==

As you walk into a Puerto Rican home as dinner is being prepared, the rich aromas will entice your senses. Whether it is here in the United States or in the Island of Puerto Rico, those aromas are a blend of spices and herb. One in particular is the Sofrito (pronounced: soh-FREE-toh ); it is the base for many of the flavorful dishes. The Sofrito is a base used for cooking beans, stews, rice dishes, and soups. There are many variations within the Puerto Rican community and those of the neighboring Islands in the Caribbean, in the preparation of Sofrito. The basic ingredients in the Puerto Rican culture are the uses of culantro or cilantro, recao (similar to parsley), aji dulce, garlic, onions, green and/or red peppers, and achiote (annatto). The Cuban Sofrito is a mix of green peppers, onions, tomato, capers, and pimento stuffed olives. In the Dominican Republic in their Sofrito, they have added the ingredients of vinegar, tomatoes juice, and salt.

Although there many variations in the preparation of Sofrito, it will not take away from the many flavors it brings to each individual palette. It is not unusual for immediate family members to take turns in preparing the Sofrito in large amounts and then sharing. In the majority of the Puerto Rican refrigerator and freezer, you will always find a container of Sofrito. Depending on the amount of the dish you are preparing, you could use any where from three to six tablespoons of Sofrito. Recipes are passed on from generation to generation.

A good Puerto Rican family recipe is as follows:

8-10 large green peppers 4-6 large yellow/red peppers 4 garlic heads 5-6 bunches of cilantro 5-6 bunches of recao 1/2lb ajises 2lbs onions 2 cans tomatoes sauce

The peppers are washed, seeded, and cut into large pieces. Garlic is peeled and left whole. The bunches of cilantro and recao are washed and cut into smaller pieces. The ajises are washed and seeded. The onions are peeled and cut in four pieces.

The ingredients are then placed in small amounts in a food processor to be pureed. After all the ingredients are pureed, they are ready for storage and freezing. You can either store and freeze in plastic containers, or use ice trays, for future use. This recipe will have a yield of approximately 40 cups.

--Nandez 20:32, 29 March 2007 (UTC)

REFERENCES

http://www.phillyburbs.com/pb-dyn/news/216-01202005-435749.html

http://latinfood.about.com/od/seasoningmarinade/r/sofrito.htm

http://www.rachaelrayshow.com/?q=recipes/sofrito