Papi's Sofrito

If you are buying that Goya crap called sofrito, STOP! That stuff is so gross and its a bad example of Puerto Rican sazón, seasonings. Goya used to be good, but the mass production of their products made them lose their quality. Yes, it's convenient, but it lacks the true flavor of Latin cuisine. I remember buying some because I didn't know any better. It was my first time cooking on my own in my new place. I would call my mom and grandfather so they could walk me through making a meal. I was living on my own and I was craving rice and beans so bad! I bought the pre-made sofrito assuming it was the same sofrito my mom had in her fridge that Papi, my grandfather, would make her. Once I opened the can I knew something was a little off. It didn't even smell the same. So, I asked my mom and I swear she started screaming on the phone. "No! Not that stuff, that's really bad, she said. "You have to go to the bodega and buy the one they make fresh or wait until I make some." Flavor is everything in our cooking. From that day on I always used fresh sofrito. Papi heard that I made my first sofrito from scratch so then he shared with me his recipe. Of course it will never taste like his but atleast I learned from him and here are a few important rules when it comes to sofrito, it is afterall the base of most PuertoRican dishes.

Rules:
1. Use all fresh ingredients: Don't buy pre-made sofrito. Also, sofrito is meant to be used immediately after making it. You can freeze it if you must, for convenience, but try to use it fresh. Our great-grandparents never used anything that wasn't made from scratch and they shunned anything pre-made. There was no such thing as processed foods. Their dishes were made fresh, and it's what made the food taste so amazing. Authentic food has a lot of natural flavor not artificial flavors, dye or MSG. My mom told me, if you're a good cook, you may not even need salt.

(Left picture: Papi during his boy band days, middle left. Right picture: Mami Geralda holding my cousin Tito) 

2. Sing: Papi, my grandfather, would tell me stories about his mother, Mami Geralda. Back in Puerto Rico there was a siesta hour where all the kids would get out of school for lunch and go home. Papi loved it because he knew he would get to hear his mother sing while she made fresh sofrito. She would sing as she prepared it, and he would just sit and listen to her while indulging in the aroma of fresh sofrito & sazón sautéing in the pot. I think the magic behind good food is in the singing. I know we could agree that tasty foods can leave you feeling bewitched.

3. <b>Grow your herbs:</b> There's nothing better than going outside and picking your own herbs. My ultimate goal is to have beds of cilantro, oregano bruno (cuban oregano), recaito (culantro), aji dulce (sweet pepper), and other veggies at my dispose. In Puerto Rico it's common to have everything you need to make sofrito growing in your backyard. Papi started off a few plants for me. They save a lot of money and live sustainably off of the land. Just because we aren't on an island doesn't mean we can have the same customs. Knowing exactly what's in your food is a great thing. 

Papi and I, 2010

 4. Enjoy & Love your heritage: Be proud of where you come from & always seek the wisdom of your ancestors. They will always guide you right, and teach you the wonders of the universe. Learn from their experiences, and treasure them as if they were your own. Learn the lessons and pass them on. Never lose your heritage and culture, it's all you really have.

Papi's Sofrito

2 yellow onions 

2 green peppers 

1 yellow peppers 

6 aji dulce (sweet peppers) 

6 garlic cloves 

1/2 lime juice or 1 tsp apple cider vinegar 

2 bunches of fresh cilantro 

1 bunch of fresh parsley 

1 handful of recaito (culantro) 

1 tomato (optional) 

-Blend all ingredients together and Voila! Use immediately with some sazón.

Note: Feel free to play with the ingredients. Like the taste of garlic? Throw in some extra cloves of garlic. Play with it and make it yours. I threw in some sweet yellow tomatoes; I had to use them up before they spoiled. I only had a few leaves of recaito (culantro). Improvise with what you have but don't change it up too much cause it won't be sofrito anymore.