Fresh Puerto Rican Sofrito

 A mandatory staple meal in a Puerto Rican household is Rice and Beans.  In my younger years, rice and beans was frequently on the menu.  As I cook up a meal from my childhood, the aromatic smell of the spices wafting through my home makes my mind wander to days gone by.  Anyone who walks in as it's being cooked always comments on the wonderful aroma. 

A combination of ingredients is the key to the delicious flavors and smells.  A sofrito or recaito is a blend of fresh herbs and vegetables and is the basis of many Hispanic dishes.

When I am making sofrito, I make it in big batches and freeze most in small portions. My frequently used jar is mixed with olive oil and kept in the fridge.

Basic Puerto Rican Sofrito Recipe

1 bunch of recao or celantro
2 medium onions
1 head of garlic
20 ajies (small mild-sweet peppers) or 1 green bell pepper   

*If I'm adding tomato or tomato sauce to a sofrito recipe, I add it at the time of cooking and not in the sofrito directly.

Finely dice everything or throw it in your food processor for two - three pulses. 

Use your freshly made sofrito in soups and sauces, guacamole and beans, on chicken or pork...the sky is the limit!