food Sofrito Starter

So you ask what is sofrito … sofrito is a sweet-smelling blend of herbs and spices used throughout the Caribbean, especially in Cuba, the Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico, Jamaica and more islands. It’s how we season numerous dishes like soups, stews, beans, meat, fish, chicken, etc, etc, etc. In most cases, it is the foundation of many Latin recipes, thus I came up with my starter.

So what’s in sofrito? Basically you can have many ingredients or just a few of them. The ingredients can be some of the following: onions, red pepper, green pepper, tomatoes, garlic, some times cilantro and/or parsley leaves. You don’t always have to use all the ingredients; it really depends on what you’ll be making. But suffice to say the basics are onion, garlic, pepper and that’s what’s in my starter.

I came up with the idea years ago to cut down on prep time. I sautéed onions in virgin olive oil, add in chopped hot peppers and finish with pressed garlic. Some times I’ll throw in a few half peppers to use for other dishes later. And many times I’ll leave the garlic out to use fresh when I’m making a full blown sofrito the day it’s needed Once the concoction has cooled down I place it into a re-sealable container and keep in the fridge to use throughout the week. With this starter I can make many dishes or just use as is to spicy things up a bit.

Examples:
  • Use to start a full blown sofrito for many dishes
  • Starter for paella, arroz con pollo, etc.
  • As is to throw on pizza or in a hot sandwich
  • Smother over chicken, steak or fish the last few minutes on the grill
  • On hamburger before you throw the cheese on to melt
  • Spoon full or two into a soup
  • Add into chili or in starting chili
  • There's many other uses, can't think of them all now but hope you get the idea ...
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Great explanation . Its well worth the effort to make from scratch. The stuff in the jar thats sold (green or red).....lets just say its the stuff in the jar.

Arroz con pollo is one of my favorite "all in one" dishes". I grow the Aji Dulce and the Aji Venezolano peppers, those are two that I would use in the sofrito. Mild peppers but tasty...and of course some Caribbean flare, Habs or Bonnets, just enough to bring in the spice.
Hopefully they'll be some leftover turkey so I can do it uo "sofrito style".....thanks for the idea
 
Great explanation . Its well worth the effort to make from scratch. The stuff in the jar thats sold (green or red).....lets just say its the stuff in the jar.

Arroz con pollo is one of my favorite "all in one" dishes". I grow the Aji Dulce and the Aji Venezolano peppers, those are two that I would use in the sofrito. Mild peppers but tasty...and of course some Caribbean flare, Habs or Bonnets, just enough to bring in the spice.
Hopefully they'll be some leftover turkey so I can do it uo "sofrito style".....thanks for the idea

We must think alike, I was thinking the same about turkey :) One of the points I may have done a poor job bring across is that this doesn't need to be used for traditional sofrito, I use this on so many things and seriously it taste great! The second thing is controlling the heat level; one need not make the sofrito or start cooking with all this “starter” mix. Many times I cook for the kids when I’ll just use a spoonful or two and the rest is none hot veggies. I also put this in wraps and so many sandwiches I can’t recall all of them. The thing I like best is that it’s ready to go (time saver) and I fill my container weekly as it’s all gone in a few days :D
 
mmm...sofrito...

i had a Puerto Rican lady who came to our farmer's market regularly this season- she would buy whatever amount of aji dulce's i had each week to make sofrito- she was freezing it. i also had another Puerto Rican couple who got their relatives in Puerto Rico to send some seed from their aji dulce's up so i can grow those out next year. they have me talked into trying to grow culantro as well... tried it once years ago without much success but i'm a much better farmer now than then,
 
Don't mess with us Greg. If you make it, you'd BETTER post up some pictures!

In fact, why don't you post some pictures of your Tday dinner?!?!

Just Do It.
 
Yes.

Post up some more of that sofrito por favor in honor of Hector Macho Camacho.

I never liked the bastige but it brings a tear to my eye that he's gone now.

Vaya con Dios champ.
 
I learned something from a Cuban woman that vastly improved my sofrito. Chop it small and give it time. Onion, then peppers, then garlic (because otherwise I'll burn the garlic). Once everything sweats a little, I turn down the heat and let it go 45+min, stirring occasionally. This brings out the sweetness of the ingredients and prepares everything to melt right into your beans, empanada filling, encebollado, etc..
 
I learned something from a Cuban woman that vastly improved my sofrito. Chop it small and give it time. Onion, then peppers, then garlic (because otherwise I'll burn the garlic). Once everything sweats a little, I turn down the heat and let it go 45+min, stirring occasionally. This brings out the sweetness of the ingredients and prepares everything to melt right into your beans, empanada filling, encebollado, etc..
Good point, I leave the garlic for last as it does cook too fast. Fash then simmer as you say and sometimes I'll just do the starter without garlic, adding it in the day I need to make a full sofrito for something I'm cooking. The idea I run with "starter," is only to save time later and have something ready to use during the week in the fridge. Many times I'll throw some into a sandwich, wrap, omelet with ham in the morning or just about anything I'm fixing. You don't necessarily have to call it a "sofrito starter," IMO the uses are limitless ...
 
I basically use the same ingredients. I usually kick it with some fresh dill. Took ground pork and that sofrito yesterday and did up some Papa Rellena. Dipped them in a simple vinegar based Habanero sauce while munching on them.
 
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