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If I could articulate in the pithiest way possible what makes my island’s food wholly itself, I would choose three fundamental ingredients. Sofrito, achiote oil, and adobo. When I bite into a morsel of anything flavored with that trifecta, I lose sense of time. As if the aromas and flavors were a vehicle of sorts that transcends space time, and brings happy memories to the present. There is a special magic in heat for these ingredients. The scent of sofrito frying and oil and spices toasting for adobo that have a sensual quality to it, pulling me in and engaging me more deeply as I cook.

Sofrito (Adapted from Illiana Maisonet)

Ingredients

• 2 roma tomatoes
• 1 yellow onion
• 6 garlic cloves
• 1 green bell pepper or 1 c cubanelle peppers
• 1 bunch cilantro + 1 bunch culantro or 2 bunches of cilantro

Instructions

1. Roughly chop all ingredients
2. In a blender or food processor, process the tomatoes. Add the onion and garlic and process until incorporated. Add the bell pepper, cilantro, and culantro and process until the mixture is well combined and mostly smooth.

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Achiote Oil

Achiote oil adds a lovely lovely red hue and an earthy savory quality when used.

Ingredients

• 1 c vegetable or light olive oil
• ¼ c achiote (annatto) seeds

Instructions

1. In a small pot, simmer the seeds in the oil on medium until the oil is simmering and infused the red color of the seeds
2. Turn off heat and allow seeds to continue to steep in the oil until it cools
3. Strain the oil into a jar

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Adobo

Adobo is our quintessential seasoning powder! Garlicky, earthy, salty and abolutely delicious. I add it to everything from seasoning meats, sprinkling some on my tostones!

Ingredients

• 2 tbsp crispy garlic slices or 1 tbsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp cumin seeds
• 1 tsp coriander seeds
• 1 tsp peppercorns or ½ tsp ground pepper
• 4 tbsp kosher salt
• 1 tsp onion powder

Instructions

1. On a cold frying pan, add the cumin seeds, coriander seeds and peppercorns and turn the heat on to medium
2. Toast seeds until they are darkened and fragrant
3. Transfer seeds to an electric spice grinder and add the garlic, onion powder, salt
4. Process the ingredients until they become a powder
5. Transfer adobo to a small jar

Note

You can use powdered cumin and coriander (½ tsp of each), and mix them together in a jar without toasting.