Carmencita’s Puerto Rican Recaito

Recaito is the start to great Puerto Rican cuisine.

Peel and cut onion in quarters.

Peel garlic cloves.

Cut ajicitos dulces in quarters. Remove seeds if desired. I keep most of the seeds in.

Core, seed and cut cubanelle pepper in chunks.

Measure out 1 1/2 cups of packed cilantro leaves and stems. Coarsely chop.

Core, seed and cut red bell pepper into chunks. The red pepper is my addition.

Into your large food processor add the onion, garlic, ajicitos dulces, cubanelle pepper, cilantro with stems, and red pepper. Add ingredients in batches if your food processor is small. Pulse until finely chopped.

Spoon the Recaito into an airtight container and store covered in the refrigerator. Keeps for about three to five days.

Storage: Freezes well. Put Recaito in small freezer Ziplock bags and freeze.

When ready to use, there is no need to thaw. Just add about 2 tablespoons of Recaito (more or less to your preference) to oil in a pan and sauté for about 10-15 minutes on low heat, mixing occasionally. Recaito is now ready as a savory base to your Latin food dish.

Yield: 1 cup savory base flavoring. Use about 2 tablespoons (more or less) in your savory dishes.

This is a staple in Puerto Rican cuisine.