SOFRITO

This is a staple in Puerto Rican cooking and should be for every cook of all nationalities.  What time it saves chopping and dicing to have it already blended to add flavor to soups and sauces and all varieties of dishes.  I made my first batch to use in Rice with Pigeon Peas.  Scott and I had recently eaten it at a Puerto Rican restaurant, and as he said – it is comfort food to the max.  Of course that sent me on a course to find a recipe for it.  That recipe listed sofrito, and it opened my eyes to a whole new way of cooking.  I combined a couple of recipes and bought the peppers I had available to me – There is a bag of colored baby bells at Central Market, and I used those thinking they would be mild.  Luckily it was also when we had fresh Hatch green chiles available too.  Even better yet, this makes a big batch and you can freeze it in ½ cup portions to pull out and use at will.  I can see my freezer filling up with different combinations – like basil and oregano instead of cilantro.  Why haven’t I thought of that before?!

3 long Anaheim peppers (or Hatch green chiles when they are in season)

1 baby yellow bell pepper
1 baby orange bell pepper
2 baby red bell peppers
20 cloves of garlic
2 lg. onions
1-1/2 bunches cilantro tops
½ bunch Italian parsley
4 medium tomatoes
1 t. salt

Roughly chop everything.  With the motor of your food processor running, slowly add all the ingredients and process until smooth.  The sofrito will keep in the frig for about 3 days and freeze the rest in small portions.