Use it in soups, stews, rice, and more.
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Recaito is a cooking base found in most savory Puerto Rican dishes.
Now we squeal as if we hit the gold mine when we find a store that sells it.
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For me, recaito is a must when I makepastelon,picadillo, or roast pork shoulder.
Recaito Vs. Sofrito
I know you have some burning questions: Whats the origin of recaito?
Is it the same or different than sofrito?
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Here are all the things you better know.
Recaito and sofrito have become interchangeable when describing this all-purpose cooking base.
Recaito translates to “small recao,” recao being one of the names we call the herb culantro.
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The “small” being the recao minced down into a smooth-ishpaste.
In Spanish, sofrito is the verb meaning “saute.”
Usually, the recaito is sauteed with tomatoes to create a cooking base for other recipes.
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The addition of the tomato in the sofrito causes the color change.
So, for us, recaito is interchangeable with sofrito.
Ingredients in Recaito
Recaito tastes like a warm cilantro salsa would taste.
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Not warm temperature-wise, but hugging your soul warm.
The aji dulce (sweet pepper) balances the sharp flavors and adds a hint of sweetness.
Not much, but enough to mellow out the cooking base.
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The most important ingredient in recaito is the recao itself.
In fact, those who think cilantro tastes like soap may find this herb more palatable.
Many countries in and surrounding the Caribbean use recao in their cooking.
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There’s no “season” for recao.
Much like cilantro, it is available year-round if you’re able to find it.
you’ve got the option to venture to grow it at home from seeds, too.
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I haven’t had much success, but I’m giving it another go soon.
The parsley muted the cilantro and closely mimicked the recao.
you’ve got the option to also replace the recao in this recipe with cilantro alone.
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The flavor won’t be spot on.
It will be more astringent and acidic, but it works when you have no other option.
What Are Ajies Dulce?
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Although they look very similar, Aji dulce isnotthe same as a habanero pepper or a scotch bonnet pepper.
Aji dulce are typically green and a greenish-yellow.
They are more squat and wide than habaneros or scotch bonnet peppers.
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Avoid peppers that are orange, red, or bright yellow.
Those are more than likely scotch bonnet or habaneros and will make your recaito insanely spicy.
Some people replace the green bell pepper in this recipe with mild Cubanelle or banana pepper.
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Recaito isn’t spicy unless you want it to be, so avoid hot peppers.
It’s the foundation of many Puerto Rican stews, beans, and rice dishes.
you could also replace the recao in this recipe with cilantro alone.
Marta A Rivera Diaz / Simply Recipes
The flavor won’t be spot on.
It will be more astringent and acidic, but it works when you have no other option.
Use your finger to pull the stems out of the halved peppers and shake out the pepper seeds.
Discard the stems and the seeds.
Cut any pepper larger than a golf ball into quarters.
Add the peppers to the bowl of a 14-cup food processor fitted with the metal blade.
Cut onion into bite size pieces.
Scrape down the sides of the bowl using a rubber spatula.
Pulse this mixture 25-30 times or until the recaito is finely minced and slightly chunkier than pesto.
you’ve got the option to store your recaito in the fridge or the freezer.
To freeze recaito:Use the spatula or a spoon to scoop the prepared recaito into ice cube trays.
Press the recaito into each ice cube mold and smooth the surface to level it.
Freeze the recaito until solid (or 6 hours).
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