The Magic Two-Minute Ingredient That’s Always in My Freezer, THE KITCHN

 

CLICK THE PHOTO FOR LINK TO STORY

Sofrito, the herb base for almost every savory Puerto Rican dish, is one of the most versatile flavor boosters. The combination of cilantro, onions, peppers, garlic, and recao (also known as culantro) is something that I always have on hand for making my favorite Puerto Rican recipes, and so much more.

Culantro is like cilantro’s cousin who comes to visit from the hood. Yeah, they’re family. But it’s also way more “punchy,” “vocal,” “spirited” — all those politically correct euphemisms. And yet, you’re still happy it showed up to the party because it has the charisma to pull everyone onto the dance floor. It is also called “sawtooth coriander” and “long-leaf coriander” and can sometimes be found in Asian markets, particularly Southeast Asian grocery stores.