Sofrito, My Friend!

High School Friends

Many moons ago, when I was a high school cheerleader, a large Puerto Rican family lived in my small town. They were a military family with sibling clusters of different ages, cousins, aunts that seemed like cousins, a gorgeous and strong matriarch, a suave and hunky patriarch, and little freckle-faced me visiting them all the time. The reason I knew them and was welcome in their home was that I was on the squad with the two middle sisters. I loved them both and was besties with each of them alternately, but never at the same time. Being a guest in their home was the most exotic experience a girl like me could ask for with the music, the laughter, the angry yelling in Spanish that could turn to laughter and hugs on a dime, the shared bedrooms, the subtle cultural differences in behavioral expectations, AND THE FOOD! Though I could sit on the couch getting my ego fed while they pet me and exclaimed over my pale skin and straight, reddish hair all day long...(ah good memories) it was really mealtime that fed me the most. I can't say exactly, almost 30 years later, what it was about the food...only that it was rich and colorful and tasted like celebration with a naughty edge.

Older High School Friends :-)

Luckily, I've remained close with one of those sisters all these years. Though different in so many ways, she is sisterly to me and I love her. About four years ago when she was sending her first born away to college, she shared with me the directive to her daughter about how to feed herself. My friend was concerned about her daughter eating her vegetables (classic) so she taught her to make and use sofrito. Now you can imagine how and why I tuned into every detail! I too would benefit from this motherly culinary wisdom! And now, so will you.

The basic idea is that you blend (can be mildly chunky or smooth) raw fresh garlic, onion, peppers, and a leafy green herb with olive oil and spices to taste then keep it in a mason jar in the fridge. You then add a spoonful (or five) to pretty much any dish you are making to add major flavor and nutrition. The classic example is to put a few spoonfuls of sofrito in a hot skillet for a few minutes then add crushed tomatoes and simmer. Then add meat, such as ground beef or chicken breast, and serve with rice or potatoes. I am currently avoiding nightshades (tomatoes, peppers, eggplant, potatoes, and goji berries) so I simply skip the peppers and tomatoes. In fact, the idea has gotten SO loose for me that I recently had too much bok choy to use fast, so I blended bok choy, a grated frozen lemon, olive oil, onion, and garlic for a very unique jar of sofrito that is flavoring my soups especially well!

Getting low!

In my experience, keeping a jar of sofrito in the fridge all the time means that every dish easily has vegetables and exotic flavor added, and it lasts a really long time. Only once in many years did I open the jar and realize I hadn't used it fast enough (don't worry, you can tell for sure - otherwise, cook it and eat it).

Base Ingredients (amounts depend on your taste preference):

• garlic (I use a about 6 cloves.)
• onion (I use one whole onion of any kind.)
• bell pepper ( I don't currently use these, but when I did, I liked to use one red.)
• cilantro (I use one whole bunch - stems and all.)
• spices (cumin, turmeric, oregano, thyme, rosemary, etc.)
• olive oil (Use enough to blend, about 1/2 a cup, and add more oil or a little water if the blender needs more moisture to fully process the vegetables.)

Other Ingredient Ideas to Substitute or Include:

• lemon/lime
• parsley
• basil
• spinach
• bok choy
• kale
• chard
• hot peppers
• ginger root
• turmeric root
• garam masala
• white pepper

Just remember to keep it neutral enough for your tastes to be able to use in many dishes. Also remember the core four of the basic sofrito from her Puerto Rican family is the garlic, onion, pepper, and cilantro. That helps me make modifications without loosing the foundation altogether.

Next up...Meat and A Crockpot Marathon!