Cuban Sofrito Sauce Recipe

Ingredients:

1 liter crushed tomatoes from a can,
1 cup tomato juice,
4 Tbsp. vegetable oil,
1 medium onion, chopped,
3 garlic cloves, crushed,
1 Tbsp. paprika,
1 red bell pepper, chopped,
1 tsp. oregano,
2 bay leaves,
2 tsp. sugar,
1 pinch cumin powder,
salt and pepper to taste.

Recipe:

Heat the oil in a saucepan and saute the onion, garlic and red pepper for 4 minutes. Add the paprika in the last one minute. When the paprika starts bubbling add the rest of the ingredients, except the sugar, and simmer the sofrito sauce for 20 minutes. Add the sugar 5 minutes before the sauce is ready.

The sofrito sauce is an important ingredient in many Cuban and Puerto Rican recipes. Sofrito is also used in Spain in the preparation of Paella.