Best Puerto Rican Sofrito Recipes

AUTHENTIC PUERTO RICAN SOFRITO

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.

PUERTO RICAN SOFRITO

Steps:

• Place the garlic, green bell peppers, red bell peppers, green chile peppers, and onions into a food processor, and process to a coarse puree. Spoon the sofrito into ice cube trays and freeze. Once the cubes are solidly frozen, transfer them to a resealable freezer bag. Keep frozen for use as needed.

SOFRITO- PUERTO RICAN COOKING BASE (RECAITO)

Steps:

• 1. Wash and chop all ingredients into rough chunks. No need to remove the cilantro stems, as they are tender and flavorful.
• 2. Using a food processor (a blender is not recommended), process sofrito, in batches if necessary, until finely incorporated, but not liquified.
• 3. Using dedicated ice cube trays (don't use the trays for ice cubes after using for sofrito or your drink will taste BAD!), freeze sofrito in cubes, then, if desired, transfer to freezer bags for long term storage. Each cube is about a tablespoon, but measuring is not super important. Flavor is good, give or take a little! Fresh sofrito lasts about a week in the fridge. Just pop a cube or two or 3 into your saute pan to start your cooking, or thaw and stuff under chicken skin before roasting. The possibilities are endless!
• 4. I have two other Puerto Rican recipes that feature sofrito- Sopa de Salchichon ("salami soup") and the official dish of Puerto Rico, Arroz con Gandules ("Rice with pigeon peas").

SLOW COOKER PUERTO RICAN BLACK BEANS WITH SOFRITO AND CILANTRO

Steps:

• Place all of the sofrito ingredients in a food processor or blender, and chop finely (do not pureé). In a 3-quart slow cooker, combine the beans, 3/4 cup of the sofrito, tomato, cumin, Mexican oregano, red pepper flakes, onion and garlic. Add 4 cups of water, and stir. Cook on LOW for 7 hours, until the beans are soft but still hold their shape. Season to taste with salt and black pepper. Stir in the fresh cilantro, and serve hot, over rice.

SOFRITO....PUERTO RICAN

Steps:

• You may have to do this in batches depending on the size of your food processor.
• Add onion to the food processor and let blend until smooth.
• Then add tomatoes and let blend until smooth.
• Then add the rest of the ingredients and let blend until smooth.
• Refridgerate promptly.
• This last for about 2 days in the fridge, freezing is highly recommended.
• The best way to freeze this is in ice cube trays to make it convenient or small snack sized baggies.
• *this makes a large batch*.

PUERTO RICAN PRAWNS WITH LOBSTER-YUCCA MOFONGO AND SOFRITO BROTH

Steps:

• Heat vegetable oil to 375 degrees F in a heavy-duty 4-quart stockpot.
• Heat 2 tablespoons Achiote Oil in a skillet and saute the lobster meat until just warm. Remove from pan and place on a clean plate. Cover the lobster with plastic wrap and keep warm while preparing the yucca.
• Place the yucca in the hot vegetable oil and deep fry until golden brown, about 3 to 4 minutes. When the yucca is ready, place in a bowl and add the remainder of the Achiote Oil and the garlic. Season with salt and pepper and toss to distribute all ingredients evenly. Mash the yucca until there is an even red color throughout the mixture. Add the warm lobster to the yucca and fold together. Using your hands, fill a greased 1 cup mold (pilon) with the mofongo and pack firmly to form a mold. Remove the mofongo from the mold by turning the mold upside down and tapping gently. Repeat this procedure with remaining yucca mixture. You should have 4 pilon shaped mofongos. Place on a plate, wrap in plastic, and keep warm while preparing the prawns.
• For the prawns, heat olive oil in a large saute pan. Season the prawns with salt and pepper and cook 30 seconds per side. Add 4 cups of the Sofrito Broth to the prawns and simmer until prawns are cooked through, about 5 to 7 minutes. To serve, place 1 mofongo in the middle of 4 pasta bowls and arrange 3 prawns around each of the mofongo. Ladle broth over mofongo and serve immediately.
• Heat the olive oil in a 2-quart saucepot. Add the annatto seeds and remove from heat. Let steep at room temperature for 4 hours. Strain oil into a glass container. Keeps for up to 1 month.
• Heat the achiote oil in a saucepan. Add the bell pepper, aji dulce, onion, garlic, tomatoes, and recao and saute for 4 minutes, stirring constantly. Add the shrimp stock, tomato puree, and olives and simmer gently for 20 minutes until all flavors are combined to an aromatic broth. Remove from heat, stir in cilantro, and serve.