Saturday, January 4, 2014

Dominican Sofrito

Sofrito is a liquid seasoning that's popular in Spanish-Caribbean cuisine and made from fresh herbs and vegetables. This seasoning is very special to me because making it with my mother is my first memory of cooking. My mother would have me wash the cilantro and peppers, and chop the onions and garlic - not my favorite vegetables to work with, but I learned to use a knife and how to properly wash vegetables. My favorite part was the end result, a liquid seasoning that could transform the flavor of beef, chicken, fish, and beans into pure deliciousness. Many people have their own variations, but I think mine has a pretty good balance of flavors. Here is the recipe:

Sofrito:

  • 2 bunches of cilantro (fresh coriander)
  • 2 medium yellow onions
  • 4 plum tomatoes
  • 5 medium heads of garlic
  • 2 green bell peppers
  • 5 limes
  • 1 tablespoon dried oregano




Preparing the vegetables:

Soak the cilantro in a large bowl of ice cold water, separating the stalks; the leaves will float to the top and the dirt will sink to the bottom. Cut off the thick bottom parts of the stems and discard them. Chop the cilantro into 2 or three pieces and set aside on a clean plate.

Remove the outside skin of the yellow onions and cut them into quarters, set them aside.

Remove the stems and seeds from the tomatoes and bell peppers, chop in large pieces and set aside.

To prepare the garlic, separate the cloves, chop the ends off,  crush each piece with the side of a knife tp easily peel off the thick outer skin. Do not chop the garlic - just put the whole pieces in a clean bowl and set aside.

To get the most juice out of your limes, pop them in the microwave individually for 10 - 15 seconds. This doesn't cook them, but it loosens the fibers, making the juice come out more easily.

Put all of the ingredients (including the dried oregano) in the blender and squeeze the juice of all the limes on top of them, making sure to catch any seeds. If the mixture is too thick, add a tablespoon of water at a time to loosen it and move the vegetables around if needed. The end result should have a thick, applesauce-like consistency.

Store it in a glass container in the fridge. It will keep for at least a few weeks.




To use it:

I like to marinate meats in the fridge overnight in a zip-lock bag with the sofrito and some sea salt. When you cook the meat the next day, it will have that deep, tangy and herbaceous flavor common in Latin cuisine.

You can also make Latin-style beans by adding 1 - 2 teaspoons to a can of beans; mix in some sea salt and tomato sauce and cook for 20 minutes. Depending on the bean type, you may want to add some brown sugar, or Worcester sauce to balance out the acidity.



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