Sofrito in island cooking is kind of like chili in Texas. Everybody has their favorite recipe. As do I have a favorite sofrito I've been using for years. This one intriqued primarily because I'd never seen one with meat in it. Nor had I seen one where onions figured more prominently than herbs, especially culantro, tomatoes and chiles. But it makes sense in pork happy Puerto Rico, first for the flavor and second for the salt it adds to the seasoning. I'll keep this one in the repertoire.
Sofrito
This multipurpose seasoning base forms the foundation of numerous dishes in Puerto Rico. This recipe first appeared in our December 2011 issue along with Kathleen Squires's story Island Holiday.
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Credit: Penny de los Santos
INGREDIENTS
8 oz. ham, chopped2 tbsp. minced fresh oregano
15 sprigs cilantro, chopped
10 cloves garlic, chopped
5 cubanelle or banana peppers, stemmed, seeded, and chopped
4 large yellow onions, chopped
1 red bell pepper, stemmed, seeded, and chopped
¾ cup canola oil
INSTRUCTIONS
Finely chop all ingredients in a food processor. Heat in a 12″ skillet over medium-low heat; cook until very soft, about 20 minutes. Store in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.Ratings & Reviews (1)
Sofrito
Reviewed by bigrey on
.
Sofrito in island cooking is kind of like chili in Texas. Everybody has their favorite recipe. As do I have a favorite sofrito I've been using for years. This one intriqued primarily because I'd never seen one with meat in it. Nor had I seen one where onions figured more prominently than herbs, especially culantro, tomatoes and chiles. But it makes sense in pork happy Puerto Rico, first for the flavor and second for the salt it adds to the seasoning. I'll keep this one in the repertoire.
Rating: 3
