In the realm of culinary delights, few dishes hold a candle to the vibrant and flavorful sofrito, a cornerstone of Latin American cuisine. Originating from the sun-kissed shores of Puerto Rico, this aromatic sofrito forms the base for a myriad of delectable creations, adding depth and complexity to stews, soups, rice dishes, and meats. Get ready to embark on a culinary journey as we explore the essence of sofrito and unveil two tantalizing recipes that showcase its versatility.
Our first recipe, Sofrito Básico, is a fundamental building block in Puerto Rican cooking. This aromatic blend of carefully chosen ingredients, including onions, garlic, bell peppers, and cilantro, forms the backbone of countless dishes. It's a symphony of flavors that dances on your palate, leaving you craving more.
For those seeking a more robust and smoky flavor profile, our Sofrito Criollo recipe is a must-try. This sofrito takes the basic sofrito to new heights with the addition of flavorful sofrito spices like achiote, oregano, and cumin. These spices impart a warm, earthy aroma that will transport you to the heart of Puerto Rican cuisine.
PUERTO RICAN SOFRITO
Sofrito, also called Recaíto; is a staple to seasoning many Puerto Rican food dishes.
Provided by Kitchen De Lujo
Categories Sauce
Number Of Ingredients 10
Steps:
- Start off by roughly chopping the yellow onion. Continue doing the same and removing the seeds from the red bell pepper, green bell pepper, and the ají dulces.
- Place the chopped ingredients into a food large sized food processor or blender.
- Break apart the garlic head into cloves and peel away the outer papery skin. Place the garlic cloves and culantro leaves into the food processor or blender.
- Add a tbsp of salt, black pepper, and oregano. Lastly, add the 1/3 cup of olive oil and blend everything together.
AUTHENTIC PUERTO RICAN SOFRITO
Sofrito is the secret to many Hispanic Caribbean recipes. It is a fragrant aromatic puree of peppers, onions, garlic, herbs, and olive oil. The magic herb in this fragrant mixture is cilantro. My family's recipe produces a sofrito that is very flavorful, complex and oh-so-delicious! Use it in soups and stews as well as in rice dishes. Freeze whatever portions will not be used within 2 weeks. They will keep for about 3 months in the freezer.
Provided by MKCortes (Latin Goddess)
Categories Side Dish Sauces and Condiments Recipes Sauce Recipes
Time 1h5m
Yield 64
Number Of Ingredients 15
Steps:
- Set oven rack about 6 inches from the heat source and preheat the oven's broiler. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil.
- Cut green bell pepper and red bell pepper in half from top to bottom; remove the stem, seeds, and ribs. Place peppers cut sides down onto the prepared baking sheet. Lightly brush with 2 teaspoons olive oil.
- Roast under the preheated broiler until the skin of the peppers has blackened and blistered, 5 to 8 minutes. Transfer to a resealable plastic bag. Seal to let peppers steam as they cool, about 15 minutes. Remove skins under running water and discard. Chop flesh into large pieces.
- Place pepper pieces, sweet chile peppers, onion, scallions, tomatoes, garlic, cilantro, culantro, olives, oregano, and capers in a blender or food processor. Blend, adding 1/2 cup olive oil and water in batches, until mixture is pureed but some chunks remain.
- Divide blended mixture among four 16-ounce containers, filling each 3/4 of the way. Top each with 2 to 3 tablespoons olive oil to help preserve mixture. Close containers and refrigerate.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 28.6 calories, Carbohydrate 2.6 g, Fat 2 g, Fiber 0.5 g, Protein 0.5 g, SaturatedFat 0.3 g, Sodium 28.9 mg, Sugar 0.9 g
BASIC SOFRITO
Sofrito is a seasoned tomato-based sauce used as a foundation in Caribbean, Latin American, and Spanish cooking.
Provided by Hector Rodriguez
Categories Dinner Entree Sauce Ingredient
Time 15m
Number Of Ingredients 7
Steps:
- Use the sofrito with rice, stews, beans, or a protein, and enjoy.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 35 kcal, Carbohydrate 8 g, Cholesterol 0 mg, Fiber 2 g, Protein 1 g, SaturatedFat 0 g, Sodium 6 mg, Sugar 3 g, Fat 0 g, ServingSize 1 quart (8 servings), UnsaturatedFat 0 g
BASIC SOFRITO
Steps:
- Heat the oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add the scallions, onions and tomato. Cook until the onions are soft and golden and the tomatoes have broken down, about 10 minutes, stirring often. Add cilantro, and salt and pepper.
- Transfer to a bowl. Use warm or at room temperature.
SOFRITO: A BASE FOR MANY DISHES
Provided by Food Network
Categories side-dish
Time 45m
Yield approx. 2 cups
Number Of Ingredients 11
Steps:
- In a sauce pot set on medium, cook the bacon in the olive oil for 30 seconds. Add red and yellow peppers, onions, and garlic, and saute until soft. Add the habanero, jalapeno, and saffron, cook for 1 minute. Add the sherry and cream if desired. Reduce by 1/4, cool and puree in a blender.
BASIC SOFRITO BLACK BEANS RECIPE - (5/5)
Provided by dvdcrn
Number Of Ingredients 14
Steps:
- *Time Required:* Most time is just waiting (soaking, pressure cooking). This is a big batch of beans, so you can save some for another night, which will save a lot of time. Two sessions: (1) 15 minutes in the morning. (2) 65 minutes in the afternoon. *In the morning:* Pick over the black beans to remove the ugly ones (shriveled or discolored ones, stones, etc). Bring 6 cups water, the 1 lb beans to boil (took about 10 minutes). Let boil for one minute. Turn off heat and soak for at least 1 hour, up to 6 hours. *Prepare sofrito:* Combine in coffee grinder: 2 tspn salt and the spices (1 TB minced chipotle pepper, 3 bay leaves, 8 sage leaves, 1 tsp dried oregano, 1/2 tsp cumin seeds, 1 arbol chili). Whirr to pulverize them. Add to blender with about 8 minced garlic cloves, 1 TB olive oil, 1 TB vinegar and 1/4 cup water. Pulse the blender. Let sit about 5 minutes so the garlic releases its flavor. Meanwhile, roughly the onion and the red pepper and add to the blender. Blend everything until smooth, then set the blender aside. *In the afternoon, pressure cook:* Add 2 Tb olive oil to the beans in the pressure cooker pot (no need to replace the liquid). Lock lid, heat to high pressure (takes about 13 minutes), then reduce to med-high heat and let rock 13 minutes. Turn off the heat and let pressure release naturally (takes about 20 minutes). *Real cooking:* After the pressure cooker cools and the pressure releases, remove 1/3 cup cooked beans, add to the blender with sofrito and blend until smooth. This makes about 2-1/2 to 3 cups of thick, light brown sofrito. Reserve 1 cup liquid from the pot of beans. Pour the sofrito from the blender into the pot of beans, then use the cup of reserved liquid to rinse the rest of the sofrito from the blender, and pour it all into the pot. Simmer about 15 minutes over medium heat. Stir every couple of minutes, to fully mix in the solids collecting on the bottom. When a black crust starts to form between stirrings, it is done. Turn off the heat and mix the crust in. *Freeze and Substitute for Canned:* You will have about 7 cups of prepared black beans (about 14 servings), which can be divided among 4 pint-sized freezer containers (about 1-3/4 cups each) and used in any recipe that calls for a 15.5 oz. can of black beans. Let cool, tighten lids and store in freezer. If you remember in the morning, thaw a container on the counter. Otherwise, you'll need to thaw frozen beans. Either heat them in a rice cooker for about 20 minutes, or in a saucepan over low heat for about 15 minutes, breaking them apart every few minutes. *Notes:* (1) Refried beans are very easy. One serving would be about 3/4 cup. Add a little olive oil to a skillet, just a bit more than you need to prevent sticking. Use an old-fashioned potato masher as you heat them. Obviously, you need to add minced garlic :). (2) Black bean soup for 2-3 servings is very easy. Saute a finely diced small onion in some oil. Add a minced garlic clove and maybe a 1/4 tspn of ground cumin for about the last minute before adding 2 cups of broth and one container of black beans. Bring to a simmer. If you want to thicken it a little, you could add 1/4 tspn corn starch dissolved in 1/4 cup of water or 1/4 tspn of chia seeds. Add a squeeze of lime juice, maybe a tspn or two, and serve hot. Great with guacamole. (3) Soaking time can last, say, 1-6 hours. For black beans, 1 hour is minimum for digestibility, and 6 hours is maximum for firmness. If you like mushy beans, you can soak black beans overnight. (4) Substitute any sofrito ingredients or recipes to your liking. Definitely add 1/3 cup of beans to the blender, since you need to release their starch to thicken the black bean sauce. The bay leaves will be pulverized into the sofrito, so no sharp edges. You won't need to remove them as in ordinary usage. (5) Nutrition data: This food is low in Saturated Fat, and very low in Cholesterol. It is also a good source of Vitamin C, Thiamin, Iron, Copper and Manganese, and a very good source of Dietary Fiber and Folate. Each freezer container has about 26 g of high quality protein. At 3.5 half-cup servings per container, that's 7 grams protein/serving.
SOFRITO
Sofrito is the base for most Puerto Rican dishes, and this one is better than store bought (difficult to find in the stores in the Western United States). This can be added to beans, rice, soups, stews, you name it.
Provided by FIVEBRIGS
Categories Side Dish Sauces and Condiments Recipes Sauce Recipes
Time 20m
Yield 80
Number Of Ingredients 10
Steps:
- In a food processor, combine green peppers, red peppers ajies dulces, tomatoes, onions, and garlic. Add cilantro, recao, salt, and pepper. Process to the consistency of semi-chunky salsa (not watery). Place in a resealable plastic freezer bag, and use as needed, or freeze in portions.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 9.8 calories, Carbohydrate 2.2 g, Fat 0.1 g, Fiber 0.4 g, Protein 0.4 g, Sodium 89 mg, Sugar 0.8 g
SOFRITO
Sofrito - a blend of garlic, onions, peppers and recao (culantro) - is the backbone of Puerto Rican flavor. Also referred to as recaito, it's typically sautéed in oil as the foundation for sauces, braises, beans, stews and rice dishes. It's also adaptable, and can yield a lighter, more verdant flavor if sautéed for 2 to 3 minutes, and a richer flavor if sautéed for 7 to 10 minutes and combined with tomato sauce. This recipe yields about 3 cups, which is probably more than you'll use for any recipe, but it keeps well. My grandmother often kept sofrito in the freezer stored in a repurposed plastic margarine container, or frozen into cubes and saved in plastic zip-top bags. If kept in the refrigerator, it's best if used within a week, but can be frozen for up to six months. You can also put it into a pan with hot oil straight from the freezer, though it may sputter a smidge.
Provided by Von Diaz
Categories condiments
Time 5m
Yield About 2 1/4 cups
Number Of Ingredients 6
Steps:
- In a large food processor or blender, blend the peppers and garlic until smooth.
- Add the onion and blend until smooth, then add the culantro and cilantro, and blend until smooth. The sofrito will keep covered in the fridge for up to 1 week, or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
SOFRITO
A stash of this flavorful Spanish sauce means you're always one step ahead. The only thing easier than making it is finding ways to use it. Try it in Shrimp and Mussels with Sofrito or Chicken with Sofrito. For perfect portions, freeze sofrito in ice cube trays, then transfer to a zip-top bag to store.
Provided by Martha Stewart
Categories Food & Cooking Healthy Recipes Gluten-Free Recipes
Yield Makes 3 cups
Number Of Ingredients 6
Steps:
- Coarsely chop tomatoes, peppers, and onions. Combine with garlic and cilantro. In batches, pulse mixture in a food processor until finely chopped. In a large pot, heat olive oil over medium-high until shimmering. Add mixture and cook, stirring occasionally, until thickened and reduced, 25 to 30 minutes (reduce heat if browning at edge). To store, let cool completely, then transfer to an airtight container; refrigerate, up to 2 weeks, or freeze, up to 6 months.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 56 g, Fat 5 g, Fiber 1 g, Protein 1 g, SaturatedFat 1 g
SOFRITO BASICO
This sofrito recipe is prepared as the first step in many Puerto Rican bean, rice, and stewed dishes. The amount of ingredients can be adjusted according to taste. Recipe is for a 6-8" serving-size dish. It can be doubled or tripled to suit the amount of food being prepared.
Provided by TishT
Categories Onions
Time 20m
Yield 4 serving(s)
Number Of Ingredients 7
Steps:
- Remove skins from onion and garlic.
- Remove seeds from green and sweet chili peppers.
- Rinse in water.
- Then finely chop these ingredients, including the cilantro.
- Place a heavy-bottomed pot over low heat; add oil and oregano.
- Add the chopped ingredients.
- Continue cooking for about 3-4 minutes, stirring occasionally to ensure an even blending of the flavors.
- Now you are ready to continue with the rest of the dish being prepared.
Tips:
- Choose ripe, flavorful tomatoes: Use the ripest, juiciest tomatoes you can find. This will give your sofrito the best flavor.
- Roast the tomatoes: Roasting the tomatoes concentrates their flavor and gives them a slightly smoky taste. You can roast the tomatoes in the oven or on a grill.
- Use a variety of peppers: Different types of peppers will give your sofrito different flavors. For a classic sofrito, use a combination of bell peppers, cubanelle peppers, and serrano peppers. You can also use other types of peppers, such as poblano peppers or jalapeño peppers.
- Sauté the vegetables in olive oil: Sautéing the vegetables in olive oil helps to release their flavor and create a rich, flavorful sofrito.
- Use fresh herbs: Fresh herbs, such as cilantro, parsley, and oregano, add a bright, herbaceous flavor to sofrito. You can also use dried herbs, but fresh herbs are preferred.
- Season to taste: Sofrito should be well-seasoned with salt, pepper, and other spices. Taste the sofrito as you cook it and adjust the seasoning as needed.
Conclusion:
Sofrito is a versatile ingredient that can be used in a variety of dishes. It can be used as a base for soups, stews, and sauces. It can also be used as a marinade for meats or fish. Sofrito is a great way to add flavor and depth to your dishes. It's easy to make and can be stored in the refrigerator for up to a week. So, next time you're looking for a way to add flavor to your dish, reach for sofrito. You won't be disappointed.
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