Titi (aunt) Zulma's Sofrito- Ep. 10

Sofrito also known as recaito is the base to all Puerto Rican and most Latin cooking. I'm sure if you go to a Puerto Rican persons home you'll find a container of sofrito in their refrigerator as it's truly a staple in many homes. It's made up of green and red bell peppers, onions, fresh garlic, and lots of cilantro that are then pureed together. It's so versatile which can be used in marinating meat, can be added in stews, soups, beans, rice- the possibilities are truly endless. Sofrito really takes the flavor of food to the next level and the aroma is simply intoxicating! While there are many variations of sofrito- I'm so very excited to be sharing my Titi (aunt) Zulma's recipe. Many people love my aunt's sofrito- they've even wanted to purchase it from her! While some may not agree with me (due to the large amounts that's typically made and chopping involved), I really think it's super simple to make- just chop and drop in to your blender/ food processor and you're done! Typically when making sofrito you want to make enough to last you a few months. When making it I strongly recommend having a glass blender and or food processor specifically for making sofrito. The reason being is because the aroma of sofrito will linger in a plastic blender- while it's amazing, I'm sure we're not going to want the aroma and taste of sofrito in our smoothies and anything else we may want to use our blender/ processor for. I have one blender for making milkshakes and smoothies and another one specifically for making sofrito. When storing it always use the same containers, because as I mentioned the aroma does linger. You can store it in your refrigerator in an air tight container for up to 3 months as well as store it in your freezer for up to a year. Others may prefer to freeze their sofrito in ice cube trays however I wouldn't recommend it as your entire freezer is going to pick up its aroma. Making your own sofrito is by far much better than a store bought jar- there's absolutely no comparison! Every time I take a whiff of sofrito it brings me back to when my mom and aunts would be cooking and every time I'd see the container of sofrito on the counter I'd have to open it up and inhale its amazing aroma. Till this day, I still do that every time I cook.  I hope you enjoy my aunts recipe as much as my family and I do. Enjoy!

Sofrito

Ingredients:

2 Green bell peppers

2 Red bell peppers 

2 Onions (medium sized)

1 Head of garlic

3 Bunches of cilantro

2-4 Tbsp water

2 Tbsp olive oil 

Instructions: 

1. Roughly chop all ingredients (to help your blender/ food processor).
2. In a blender and/or food processor divide ingredients in half and puree.
3.  In a bowl add first batch of pureed sofrito.
4. Add second batch of ingredients in blender/ food processor and puree.
5. Add first batch of sofrito to second batch and blend.
6. Store desired amount in an air tight container in refrigerator and freeze the rest. Makes approximately 5 1/2 cups.
Enjoy!