Description
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.
Ingredients
- 1 large green bell pepper
- 1 large red bell pepper
- 2 teaspoons olive oil
- 10 sweet chile peppers (ajicitos dulces), seeded
- 1 large yellow onion, quartered
- 1 bunch scallions, trimmed
- 2 plum tomatoes, seeded
- 25 cloves garlic, peeled and trimmed
- 2 bunches fresh cilantro, ends trimmed
- 2 bunches culantro
- ¼ cup pimento-stuffed green olives
- 5 large leaves Caribbean wild oregano (oregano brujo)
- 2 tablespoons capers
- ½ cup olive oil, or more as needed
- ¼ cup water
Instructions
- Set the 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 stems
- seeds
- and ribs. Place peppers cut-side down onto the prepared baking sheet. Lightly brush with 2 teaspoons olive oil.
- Roast under the preheated broiler until skin on 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.
Prep Time: 45 mins
Cook Time: 5 mins
Total Time: 1 hr 5 mins
Servings: 64