Sofrito with Kale

Sofrito is quintessentially the most important ingredient in Latin cooking.  We use it to season, to marinade, to give everything that Latin zing.  Just like Italians have tomato sauce Latinos have their sofrito.  It is the foundation used to flavor everything under the sun.  I have noticed that the most prevalent type of sofrito in the United States is what Puerto Ricans call recaito.  You could pretty much find it in any grocery store that sells Goya products.  This is not the only type of sofrito available though.  Many other Latin American countries create their own type of sofrito to which they add spices that are native to their regions. I know Colombians call it hogao or guiso and it’s made by sauteing diced scallions with chopped tomatoes in oil.  We also add a touch of azafrán or saffron for coloring.  In this sense it differs greatly from Puerto Rican sofrito which is not sautéed in oil but made in a blender and refrigerated fresh. 

I have already demonstrated how to make guiso in my post about Tofu Perico, so this is my attempt at making a version of the Puerto Rican recaito but with a twist.  Lately I've been obsessed with kale, so I decided to add kale to my version so that it incorporates all of the healthy vitamins and nutrients that kale boasts.  I can tell you right now that you won’t even notice a difference.  To me it was excellent.  If not kale, you could also add beets if you want or maybe swish chard.  Just be careful how much you add.  Too much kale and it might be too bitter, just like too many onions might be too overwhelming.  I also added a stem of celery and a whole carrot to make it that much healthier.  What I forgot to add was some heat.  In the future I'm going to try adding a bit of jalapeño or some other type of hot pepper.

I really hope you enjoy making this version or your own version of sofrito with whatever ingredients you have on hand. It's really always about making it your own and doing the best with what you already have.

Buen Provecho! =)

Ingredients

1 half green bell pepper and 1 half red bell pepper seeded and chopped
5 small sweet peppers of various colors seeded and chopped
5 small plum tomatoes, skins removed
2 small yellow onions cut into quarters
5 scallions chopped in half
3 heads of roasted garlic or regular garlic
One stem of celery chopped
One carrot chopped
A spring of mint (could use some other herb like cilantro)
One large leaf of kale
A dash of extra virgin olive oil
Sea salt and pepper to taste

Directions

• This is the easiest recipe, you just dump all of the ingredients into a blender and you are done.  Just make sure you coarsely chop all of the ingredients before putting in the blender. 
• If everything doesn’t fit in the blender try doing a portion of the ingredients and then gradually adding everything until everything is blended together.
• To preserve the sofrito simply leave the small portion you are going to use right away in a container in the refrigerator.  You can store smaller ready to use portions in the freezer.  Another way to preserve them in the freezer is to store the sofrito in an ice cube tray.  You can take out as many sofrito cubes as you want whenever you are ready to use them.

TIP – To remove the tomato skins simply cut a small cross on the bottom and drop on boiling water.  Leave them for a minute or so and then drop them in a bath of ice.  You can peel the skin right away, remove the seeds and then add to the blender along with the rest of the ingredients.

A Refreshing Twist to the Classic Holiday Coquito

Hi Everyone,

Below is my Q&A with Cynthia Sepulveda the Founder and President of Flaco Coquito.
I truly hope you feel inspired by her desire to develop a healthier alternative to a drink that is so dear to her Puerto Rican roots and heritage.

Why is coquito so important to you? 
Coquito is a part of my culture and takes me back to when times were simpler, fun and more interactive with my family and friends. The taste of food and coquito and the sounds of music reminds me of my childhood in my grandmother's house celebrating with family.

What does it mean to you and your family? 
It means "nuestra familia" (our family).  Which I learned from my grandmother, who was the pillar of ours.  She would make non-alcoholic coquito for the kids, so to include us in celebration during family events.

Coquito can be a very time consuming drink to make, especially when made following the original recipe and that's the main reason it's made a few times a year. It's important to me and my family to keep tradition alive, and keep our culture thriving.

What got you thinking about a healthier alternative to coquito? 
My husband made it every year, but less and less family members were drinking it due to illnesses that affect many Hispanics; such as diabetes, cancer and lupus. I decided last holiday season to take over the coquito making and alter his recipe. My motivation was to attempt to make a lighter, healthier coquito while staying true to the taste.  I recently went to Puerto Rico to visit my family and made some for my 90 year old aunt Carmen. She took one sip and told me to keep pouring because it tasted just like my grandmother's coquito. She was so taken by Flaco Coquito, I had to make her a large batch before leaving back to NY lol.

How hard is it being a start up business? 
It is very difficult.  Starting a business is not an easy undertaking. Branding to me is the most important part of any business.  The girl with the coconut was my vision who was brought to life by an artist by the name of Anya Levkovich. Anya did an incredible job.  I also decided in the middle of July to add Sonia Pena to the company who is now VP of Marketing for Flaco Coquito.  Sonia has a wealth of knowledge in Hispanic media, and with my business sense and "Flaco Coquito" making skills we make a great duo!

How do you see your brand expanding?
My ultimate goal is to have Flaco Coquito distilled and sold in liquor stores. Right now we are marketing our name, concept and taste to create a demand. We have RED 58 Bar in Manhattan serving Flaco Coquito whose owner was taken by our concept and flavors.  The owner of RED 58 will serve Flaco Coquito Mango and Tropical Blend flavors all year round while serving our Original in the fall and winter.  

What do you hope to accomplish with this new drink?
We hope to accomplish CHANGE and people's perception of coquito. I want them to know that coquito can be consumed and enjoyed without feeling guilty all year around.  I'm fortunate that I have community leaders who live a healthier life style and enjoy Flaco Coquito such as Mia Roman (Artist/Activist), Edwin Vazquez (Artist,singer,songwriter), Carmelina Vargas (Singer/Songwriter/breast cancer survivor) and George Torres (sofritoforyoursoul.com).  Flaco Coquito recently came out in Carmelina's new video for her song "Alegria".

My family also helps me and they are simply amazing, especially my sister Monique & Cousin Gloria who believe in our product and work for Flaco Coquito. We also have so many other fans who help by spreading the concept of Flaco Coquito.

How would you like it to change or impact the way Latino's and others think about what they drink?
The evolution of all our traditional foods and drinks are inevitable especially with so many different illnesses that affect our community; particularly cancer.  Flaco Coquito wants to be a part of that change providing low sugar, low fat and vegan options, it was born from tradition but enjoyed in a lighter and healthier way. Flaco Coquito can be enjoyed all year round now, not just during the Holidays.  We offer 25 flavors which include our spring and summer flavors such as mango and tropical that are light, dairy-free and refreshing coconut goodness.


To contact Cynthia and/or to order some coquito visit www.flacocoquito.com