Sofrito

Sofrito is the backbone of Latin cuisine, especially in Puerto Rico, where almost every savory dish calls for some sofrito, even some Italian and Asian fusions. Onions play a big part in sofrito, and they got to the Caribbean for the first time more than 500 years ago, so we are familiar with the flavor. Sofrito is a staple flavor, and you don’t want to cook traditional dishes without it because you will be missing that “Je ne sais quoi” creole element that only a good sofrito brings to your plate.

The original Sofrito recipe calls for ham, water, and other ingredients not used in sofrito these days. Back in the day, women stayed at home taking care of the house and kids and could cook from scratch for the whole family daily; there was no electricity in most places, and it made sense back then.

Nowadays, with the busy lifestyle, most people have less time to cook, spend in the kitchen, or go grocery shopping, and we look for ways to make our products last longer. Nowadays, we have refrigerators to help keep your food longer, but keeping your sofrito recipe simple will keep it fresher for longer since most of the ingredients in the original recipe wouldn’t last long mixed, even in a refrigerator. You can always add the ham and such when you cook the meal, as it is usually done. Sofrito is a versatile preparation good for many other uses in cooking like marinades, vinaigrettes, and such.

The first time a sofrito recipe was documented, all the ingredients together as a formula, was in 1930. Still, elements appeared together in many recipes long before that, meaning the distinctive flavor combination was already common. In 1930, student Luis Torres Díaz presented his thesis A Preliminary Study of the Common Puerto Rican Diet to the Chemistry Department of the University of Puerto Rico (my alma mater). The thesis purpose was to calculate the nutritional value of rice and beans to check if it was up to date with the known dietary facts, but something happened; he forgot to include sofrito for the total nutritional value of the dish. This “mistake” had a silver lining because it was the first time Sofrito debuted in a document as a whole, a formula with a name.

Culantro (recao, cilantro cimarron, coriandro, alcapate, coriander) was missing from the recipe, which is surprising, but it wasn’t involuntary. Culantro and cilantro have a very intense aroma that some people can’t handle because of genetic reasons; it is believed he was one of them. It does not explain if aji dulce is included in the peppers mentioned or what specific food color is added. As the food history professor Cruz M. Ortiz Cuadra states in The written debut of sofrito: “The written debut of sofrito in 1930 is a sign that very definite sensory expectations (smell/flavor/color) have already been formed and are fixed in domestic cooks and diners at the time of cooking and eating vegetables.”

This is the first documented Sofrito recipe: (For 2 cups of dried beans)

1/4 cup of ham

1/4 cup of “bacon” (it calls for ‘tocino’ which is pork belly fat, not regular smoked bacon, has a very different and distinctive flavor)

1 tablespoon vegetable color (maybe annatto or paprika?)

1/2 cup onions

1/2 cup peppers

1/2 cup of tomatoes

1/4 clove of garlic

 1 teaspoon capers

 2 quarts of water

Even if I use the rest of the ingredients in that old-school sofrito recipe when cooking certain meals, I will stick to the following two basic Sofrito recipes forever; I don’t think you need anything else for a base. One with all the ingredients that I love and constantly used in my Sofrito but are challenging to find if you live far from Puerto Rico, and another simple formula for when I can’t get my hands on all the right ingredients. Honestly, there is a difference because, for me, they are vital ingredients for that homestyle sofrito flavor we all look for. Still, the simple version will work and bring that creole flavor to your dish without trying too hard. Sofrito is an excellent addition of flavor, some nutrition, and consistency to your dish, whether you use it chopped or blended; when used blended, it adds thickness to broths and soups, which is a plus. So please don’t be scared of some flavor and consistency when adding sofrito to your cooking. Don’t get frustrated if you can’t find every ingredient on the first recipe; the second-best on my list has your back!

*Tip: If your sofrito is usually runny is because you need more garlic. Onions and peppers have a high water content, adding more garlic will counterpart the texture adding creaminess and making your sofrito more homogenous, aside from adding more flavor.

Sofrito Puertorriqueño:

Ingredients:

2 white onions

2 heads of garlic

1-2 cubanelle pepper

10-15 pcs Aji dulce (cachucha peppers, sweet bonnet peppers)

6 culantro leaves

1 bunch of cilantro

Method:

Peel the onion and garlic cloves cut the onions in halves, and put them in the blender or a food processor.

Wash the peppers and leaves and dry (you don’t want excess water to ruin your sofrito and turn it into soup, excess moisture will make it last considerably less and vegetables have enough to make it a puree). Cut the peppers open and clean all the insides (seeds and pulp) so it doesn’t spoil your sofrito faster.

Pulse until coarsely blended. You don’t need it to be in a smoothie consistency; a chunky texture works better for cooking. Don’t worry if you don’t have the equipment; you can make sofrito by chopping it all finely with a knife.

In a sanitized and completely dry glass jar, pour the Sofrito and cover with a bit splash of olive oil on top; it will create a seal and keep it longer. Store in the coldest place of the refrigerator, usually the top shelf. Avoid adding salt; salt dehydrates, which means it will draw all the liquids out of the vegetables, and you don’t want that. Always season your food while cooking to control the amount of salt accurately.

Simple Sofrito:

Ingredients:

2 small white onions

2 heads of garlic

1 bell pepper

1 bunch of cilantro

Method:

Peel the onion and garlic cloves, cut onions in halves, and put them in the blender or a food processor.

Wash the peppers and leaves and dry (you don’t want excess water to ruin your sofrito and turn it into soup, excess moisture will make it last considerably less and vegetables have enough to make it a puree). Cut the peppers open and clean all the insides (seeds and pulp) so it doesn’t spoil your sofrito faster.

Pulse until coarsely blended; you don’t need it to have smoothie consistency; a chunky texture works better for cooking. Don’t worry if you don’t have the equipment; you can make sofrito by chopping it all finely with a knife.

In a sanitized and completely dry glass jar, pour the Sofrito and cover with a bit of olive oil on top; it will create a seal and keep it longer. Store in the coldest place of the refrigerator, usually the top shelf. Avoid adding salt; salt dehydrates, which means it will draw all the liquids out of the vegetables, and you don’t want that. Always season your food while cooking to control the amount of salt accurately.

*Sofrito, when properly stored, will keep for about a month. If you are like me, who prefer fresh to storebought (no comparison, in my opinion), here is an excellent tip to make a big batch and make it last some time:

You can freeze sofrito, it will last for months, and you will always have some in hand without any effort. You can use ice cube trays to freeze the Sofrito in portions, store them in a sealed bag or container in the freezer and use them as needed; it will last for months.