This week’s featured ingredient is the Aji Dulce pepper. Easily mistaken for its MUCH hotter cousin, the habanero, this pepper can seem very daunting to work with but is a delectable staple of many cuisines. The Aji Dulce is traditionally used in Puerto Rico, Dominican Republic and Cuba. Famously, it is one of the key ingredients in sofrito, a base for many of the dishes in these cultures and similar in ubiquity to a French mirepoix.

The recipe I have chosen for this week is in fact the aforementioned sofrito. It is Vegan, Gluten and Soy free! I recommend you make and store in the freezer so you can make a big batch and save it for whenever you need. One recipe to try with it is a delicious and flavorful Puerto Rican style rice [blogs.us7.list-manage.com]. Simply fry up your rice with the sofrito, replace the water with chicken stock, and throw in a few seasonings like thyme and oregano. Serve it up by itself or as a side.

Another great recipe to do with Aji Dulce is a quick pickle. Slice them up and pickle with some onions and spices using the beginner guide included in the Weekly Dirt a few weeks ago. Whatever you do, these crunchy, sweet peppers are sure to impress.

Ingredients:
1 ½ pounds of aji dulce (or a mix of sweet peppers – in the CSA box last week and this week)
2 large yellow onions, or any onions including the white part of bunching onions or scallions (in last week’s and this week’s CSA boxes). Peeled and diced into chunks
2 large plum tomatoes (in this week’s CSA box), or any tomatoes
1 head of garlic, peeled (in last week’s CSA box)
1 large bunch of cilantro (if this herb does not appeal to you, omit)
1 tablespoon salt
¼ cup olive oil

Instructions:

• Prepare and chop all your prepared vegetables into large chunks that fit into a food processor.
• Blend all the ingredients together until finely minced.
• Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator if using within a few weeks or freeze using an ice cube mold and store in a gallon bag in the freezer.

Notes: 

• The color of this recipe will vary depending on the colors of the peppers used. You’ll get a green color if only green peppers are used, or you can get a dark red color if a mix of red peppers and achiote (annatto) oil is used.

Save time and prepare a huge batch at once, instead of every time you go to cook. Keep it in a glass container with a lid, or freeze it in small portions.

Photo from: Puerto Rican Sofrito – VeggieJeva