In France, you begin with mirepoix. In Haiti, you start with epis. In Puerto Rico, the Dominican Republic, and other Latin American countries, the aromatic foundation of all sauces, rice dishes, and stews is sofrito.
When you consider this culinary-narrative thread, it is not a long stretch to arrive at the Holy Trinity, the basis of dishes from New Orleans to Savannah to Charleston—port cities all. New York–based chef Gabriela Inez Ramos, who comes from both Puerto Rican and Dominican lineage, insists there are no hard-and-fast rules, other than that a respectable sofrito must include garlic, onions, peppers, and an acid—either citrus or vinegar—and that the consistency must be relish-like.
If it’s over-processed into a purée, the ingredients will release too much liquid, lose their flavor, and change the composition of the resulting dishes.
Excerpt from “Roots, Heart, Soul: The Story, Celebration and Recipes of Afro Cuisine in America” by Todd Richards. Photo by Clay Williams.
Makes 2 cups
INGREDIENTS
16 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
2 cubanelle or Anaheim peppers, seeded and chopped
2 yellow onions, chopped
1 red bell pepper, chopped
1 bunch fresh cilantro
1/4 cup sour orange juice*
1/4 cup lime juice
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
PREPARATION
Combine all the ingredients in a food processor, cover, and pulse to a relish-like consistency. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week or freeze for up to 6 months.
*Sour orange juice or naranja agria is available at Latin grocery stores and in some supermarkets. It is also available onlin