Sofrito Shrimp

Sometimes I fall in love with an ingredient before I even try it. This is evident in my relationship with Sofrito. Sofrito is a "Latino" but I guess I'd call it Puerto Rican seasoning. It has peppers and onions and garlic and cilantro and other wonderful things in it. I found myself watching this woman on PBS, her name is Daisy, cooking EVERTHING with Sofrito. She made her own and had it in a jar. It was so beautiful, wet and sensual looking and everything she made with it was so sexy. I fell in love with Sofrito and I had never had it, used it or tasted it. If this sounds weird to you think about when someone describes a paradise of a place to you, a cabin in the woods or a hidden water fall or an island or mountain they explored, you may never go there but you fall in love with it, right? And how about those movie stars we all lust after, we don't know them but they look and sound so beautiful they must be perfect for us, they would make us happier than our our boring husbands or wives or parents. So I fell in love with Sofrito and I never really planned to make it or cook with it, just admire it from a distance.
But I was visiting this great little fruit and vegetable market in Andersonville, they had a lot of wondeful Latino ingredients that the "ethnic" food aisle in Dominick's doesn't carry, I got some hepazote (I'm not sure how to spell it), some beautiful crumbly farmer cheese and in the freezer I spotted this container of Sofrito. Holy cow, there it was, like seeing John Malkovich in a coffee shop. I had to go for it. I really did encounter John Malkovich in a coffee shop with my friend Megan and we stared at him for an uncomfortable amount of time and then I very elegantly went up to him and slipped him a flyer to our improv show. Possibly what I thought was the bravest thing I had ever done and now I think, wow, what a DORK I was (I was 31, god, embarrassing). My run in with the Sofrito went much better, I bought it, brought it home and looked at it longingly in my freezer for a while until I decided to defrost it and force myself to cook with it. I was sure I'd be dissapointed but this stuff is fragrent and wonderful and versatile. I created a shrimp dish with it and then for a 30 minute meal I'm working on came up with a Sofrito and Black Bean Whole Wheat Couscous. Look for a container of it and try it or make it yourself. You'll fall in love and it will be for real, not like in People magazine.

Sofrito Shrimp

6 tbsp. pre-made Sofrito
1/3 cup chicken broth or water
1/2 lb. tail on shrimp (raw or defrosted)
3-4 tbsp. sliced green olives
3-4 tbsp. chopped cilantro
olive oil
lemon wedge (optional)

In a skillet or large sauce pan heat 2 teaspoons olive oil (or use cooking spray if you like), add the sofrito and cook until bubbling and starting to thicken and get sticky. Add the broth, and shrimp (if raw cook until opaque, if defrosted heat through for about 30 seconds then remove from heat). Remove from heat, add the olives and cilantro. Serve over rice.