Daisy Martinez's Sofrito

Aired on: August 17, 2010, April 13, 2010

Use this recipe for Daisy's Chicken Enchiladas.

Note: Ajies dulces, sometimes called ajicitos, are tiny peppers similar in appearance to habaneros and Scotch bonnet peppers but at the other end of the heat scale. They are sweet with a bright green, herbal flavor. Culantro is a leafy herb that smells and tastes like cilantro on steroids. Both ajies dulces and culantro are available in Latin markets. If you cannot find them, simply leave them out and use 1 1/2 bunches of cilantro.

Ingredients

2 medium Spanish onions, cut into large chunks
3 to 4 cubanelle or Italian frying peppers
16-20 cloves garlic, peeled
1 large bunch of cilantro
7 to 10 ajices dulces (see above note)
4 leaves of cilantro (see above note)
3 to 4 ripe plum tomatoes, cored and cut into chunks
1 large red bell pepper, cored shredded and cut into large chunks

Yields: Makes about 4 cups

Preparation

Put the onions and peppers in the work bowl of a food processor and process until coarsely chopped. With the motor running, add the remaining ingredients one at a time, processing until smooth. The sofrito will keep in the refrigerator for up to 3 days; it also freezes beautifully.