"SOFRITO" That is the secret, we will be using sofrito in about 90% of our dishes and that is the foundation I was trying to tell you about before you started getting nervous. So if you will let me I will show you step by step how to prepare this foundation. And once you start using it you'll be happy that I led you down this path, so lets make enough to have on hand we can freeze some in ice trays and then put them in a zip lock bag and keep it at the ready in the freezer or just keep some in a closed container in the refrigerator.

4 large yellow onions (washed, peeled) and cut into quarters
2 large Green peppers (washed, seeded) and cut into quarters
2 large tomatoes (washed cored) and cut into quarters
2 heads of Garlic (peeled)
1 package of sweet chili peppers (washed seeded)
1 package of Cilantro. (rinsed in cold water make sure to remove any loose soil)
1 package of Recao (I don't know the English translation for this) rinse in the same way as cilantro.
1/8 of a cup of Olive oil.
2 table spoons of Vinegar.

If you have access to a food processor with a metal blade great if not you can use a blender, but please be careful not to over do it in the blender. Remember we are looking for texture not a green mush. Okay with that in mind lets start. Oh! I almost forgot there are people that still prefer to use the mortar and pestle to do this but we would be here all day and I know that with having to take care of the house and working during the day, well you know what I mean. If you want you can go to the corner bodega or supermarket and buy the sofrito all ready made, but its not going to taste like what we are going to make, and remember we are talking foundation here.

Place one piece each of onion, green pepper, and tomato into the processor along with a few cloves of garlic and chili peppers along with some cilantro and coriander and start the processor just trigger it on and off and continue adding the same amount until you have a fine but coarse mixture. At this time you can empty the mixture and place it in a large bowl. And continue the process until you have processed all of the ingredients. If you are using a blender you may have to add a little cold water to get the machine to start chopping.

Now that you have the mixture nicely chopped you can add the rest of the ingredients olive oil and vinegar. Mix well with a wooden spoon and store away in the manner I mentioned before.

Foundation Continued ...

Okay, Okay I know that you are ready to turn on the stove, but once again I want you to bare with me for a little while longer. We have the sofrito ready and in the fridge and we want to do something with it, don't despair we'll get there.

Oh! yes as for you guys that went to the corner bodega and bought the frozen sofrito, I know what your thinking. "What's this guy trying to pull, this frozen stuff has salt, pepper, ham or salt pork, oregano and other things he didn't use".

That's right I don't believe in adding those other ingredients until I'm ready to cook . Believe me the proof is in the pudding and I guarantee that you will taste the difference. Now back to the drawing board.

Adobo:

Adobo is what I call a dry or semi dry seasoning used to rub on to meats, poultry, fish and other seafood's.

I guess you could call it a dry marinate. So let's prepare some.

1 - Head of garlic peeled.

6 to 8 black pepper corms.

1 1/2 teaspoons of salt.

1 - teaspoon of oregano.

Pour salt and pepper corns into your Mortero That's the Mortar we spoke about earlier. And slowly start crushing the pepper corns with the pestle.

Now start adding a few cloves of garlic at a time and continue crushing.

Once done add the oregano and continue crushing until the final product looks like a paste.

You can place the adobo in jar or container with a tight lid and refrigerate.

Did you notice the aroma and we haven't put this in a hot pan with olive oil yet.

Note: You can also use a blender to make this, if you're pressed for time.

Mojo or Mojito

Has many uses, it can be used as a marinate, dipping sauce, dressing for meats, poultry, seafood, tostones, I mean there is no end to what you can use it for. I promise after we finish with the mojito we'll start preparing and cooking, well that is once what ever we are going to cook has marinated enough to accept the flavor of what ever we used for a seasoning.

1 - Head of garlic (peeled)

6 to 8 black pepper corns.

1 1/2 teaspoons of salt.

1 - cup of olive oil

1/8 of a cup of white vinegar.

in order to prepare this we will start the same way we made the adobo. Once the garlic, pepper corns and salt are crushed and blended together place them in a bowl and add the olive oil and vinegar.

Mix all ingredients with a wooden spoon and a funnel or something pour into a jar or an old salad dressing bottle one that has the sprinkle top you know what I mean. and refrigerate. Oh this is best used at room temperature, so if you plan to use it and I know you will, take it out of the fridge early enough.

Shall We Start?

I hope that you don't feel that I'm constantly taking you down roads that have nothing to do with what this page is all about. Believe me my Mother wants you to feel like if you were sitting in her kitchen maybe having a cup of coffee and just hanging loose. ( hanging and loose ) are my words not Mom's. Well you know what I mean, just relax and we'll get through this thing together and I hope have some fun while we're together. I also want you to know that I'm new at this, so you feel you want to correct me on something, please let me know. Okay so let me put on a few C D's on the player and turn up the volume to get in the mood.

Remember what I said about being new at this, so I'm not sure if I should prepare separate dishes or a complete meal at a time, I tell you what let's do a dish at a time and if you want a complete meal, from soup to nuts let me know and we'll work on that too.
 

Johnny
El Hijo De Flora