Sofrito

 Some of my favorite gifts are the most simple. During the height of summer, when our herbs were plentiful, I shared cilantro with a former college instructor. In return, she gifted me the ingredients to make sofrito-- one of her favorite recipes from her native country Puerto Rico. Sofrito is the same consistency as pesto and the beginning ingredient of rice, soup and bean dishes. 

I love the ease of preparing this multipurpose flavoring. Sofrito is now one of my kitchen staples and finds its way into tacos, lentil dahl, tortilla soup and a variety of other dishes. Add a bit of water to it to keep in a jar in the refrigerator or it may also be stored in the freezer for several months.

Sofrito

1 bulb Garlic (all cloves peeled)

1 bunch Culantro (if available)

1 bunch Cilantro ( with majority of stems removed)

1 large onion

1 Cubanelle pepper

l or 2 small sweet red or yellow peppers (for color)

Place ingredients in food processor until finely chopped.