Puerto Rican sofrito (recaito)

Almost every place has its version of sofrito—from French mirepoix to Cajun cooking’s holy trinity—but the general idea is the same. Veggies and herbs get chopped into tiny pieces and sautéed in oil or butter at the start of a dish. While it eventually disintegrates, the mix adds big flavor that lingers. In Puerto Rico, sofrito is called recaito and gets its definitive taste from culantro (or recao), a long, dark-green herb that tastes like super-strong cilantro. 

Recaito is used as a starter for soups, stews, beans, rice, and braises. You can buy it jarred, but making your own is a one-shot dump into the food processor. One batch will also last a long time, especially if you freeze spoonfuls in ice-cube trays and de-mold them into an airtight freezer bag or container. Paired with shelf-stable goods like rice and beans, one or two cubes in a pot or skillet is the starting point for many of the island’s signature dishes. 

Puerto Rican Sofrito (Recaito)

Yield: about 2 cups

Ingredients:

• 6 large garlic cloves
• 1 large yellow onion, coarsely chopped
• 4 ají dulce peppers, seeded and coarsely chopped 
• 1 cubanelle pepper, seeded and coarsely chopped 
• 1 small bunch cilantro, about 1 cup
• 6 leaves culantro

Procedure:

1. Add the garlic to a food processor and pulse to chop. 
2. Add remaining ingredients and pulse to combine. Some people take it to a full purée, but we prefer to keep ours slightly textured, like a tapenade. 
3. Store in the refrigerator for up to a week or the freezer for 6 months. 

Notes and Substitutions:

• A small red bell pepper can swap for ají dulce, and green bell pepper can stand in for cubanelle. 
• If you can’t find culantro, just swap more cilantro.