Sofrito is common to many Latin American countries, and it is used as a base for a variety of different dishes. While it might sound exotic, sofrito is basically just a garlic-pepper sauce, but one that might be a bit more intense than you're used to. When used to marinate halibut fillets, the rich, bold flavor works perfectly to complement the lean, healthy fish. Sofrito marinated baked halibut is an easy dish to prepare, but it does take some time to make marinade, and you'll have to let the fish absorb the flavor, so start early or start the marinade a day before you want to serve the fish.

• 4 tablespoons vegetable oil
• Large saucepan
• 1 white onion, roughly chopped
• 1 yellow onion, roughly chopped
• 2 green bell peppers, ribbed, seeded and roughly chopped
• 8 cloves garlic, crushed and roughly chopped
• 1 teaspoon oregano
• 3/4 teaspoon dried cumin
• 1/2 cup chopped ripe tomatoes
• 2 bunches cilantro leaves, chopped
• Sea salt, to taste
• Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• Blender or food processor
• Large food storage container
• Spoon
• 2 baking dish, one for marinating, one for cooking
• 4 halibut fillets
• Fork

Heat the vegetable oil over high heat on the stovetop in a large saucepan. Add the onion and cook until translucent, about 2 to 3 minutes.

Add the bell pepper, garlic and dried spices to the saucepan. Cook the mixture for 6 to 8 minutes, stirring it regularly.

Add the tomatoes, cilantro, sea salt and freshly ground black pepper. Cook the mixture for 5 to 6 minutes over medium heat.

Transfer the contents of the saucepan to a blender or food processor and puree the mixture until it has the consistency of chunky salsa.

Transfer the sofrito to a clean storage container and place it in the refrigerator for 90 minutes before using it.

Spoon the sofrito in a shallow layer on the bottom of a baking dish. Place the halibut fillets on top of the layer of sofrito.

Spoon enough of the remaining sofrito over the halibut fillets to fully cover them. Cover the container or baking dish and allow the halibut to marinate in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 hours.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Meanwhile, lightly grease a baking dish with vegetable oil on the bottom.

Push the excess sofrito off the top of the halibut fillets and place them in the baking dish, leaving about one-inch of space between each fillet.

Bake the halibut fillets in the oven for 18 to 20 minutes or until the fish is opaque flakes when prodded with the tines of a fork. Serve the fish immediately while it is hot.

Ingredients

• 1 lb Black beans, soaked
• 1 Bay leaf
• 1 md Green bell pepper, cut into
• quarters -SOFRITO- 2/3 c Olive oil
• 4 Garlic cloves, chopped
• 1 lg Onion, chopped
• 1 md Green bell pepper, chopped
• 3 ts Cumin
• 2 tb Cider vinegar
• 1 t Chopped green chili

Cook black beans with bay leaf & green pepper until they are very tender & starting to crack open about 2 hours. Add more water as necessary. SOFRITO: In a skillet, heat the oil, add garlic, onion, bell pepper & cook, stirring until the onion is translucent, 8 to 10 minutes. Add the rest of the ingredients & mix well. Add sofrito to the beans, mix well & cok over low heat, covered, until the beans crack open, 30 to 40 minutes. Season to taste & serve. Randelman & Schwartz, Memories of a Cuban Kitchen

Ingredients

• 1 lb Black beans, soaked
• 1 Bay leaf
• 1 md Green bell pepper, cut into
• quarters SOFRITO 2/3 c Olive oil
• 4 Garlic cloves, chopped
• 1 lg Onion, chopped
• 1 md Green bell pepper, chopped
• 3 ts Cumin
• 2 tb Cider vinegar
• 1 ts Chopped green chili

Cook black beans with bay leaf & green pepper until they are very tender & starting to crack open about 2 hours. Add more water as necessary. SOFRITO: In a skillet, heat the oil, add garlic, onion, bell pepper & cook, stirring until the onion is translucent, 8 to 10 minutes. Add the rest of the ingredients & mix well. Add sofrito to the beans, mix well & cok over low heat, covered, until the beans crack open, 30 to 40 minutes. Season to taste & serve. Randelman & Schwartz, Memories of a Cuban Kitchen

Ingredients

• 1 lb Black beans, soaked
• 1 Bay leaf
• 1 md Green bell pepper, cut into
• quarters -SOFRITO- 2/3 c Olive oil
• 4 Garlic cloves, chopped
• 1 lg Onion, chopped
• 1 md Green bell pepper, chopped
• 3 ts Cumin
• 2 tb Cider vinegar
• 1 t Chopped green chili

Cook black beans with bay leaf & green pepper until they are very tender & starting to crack open about 2 hours. Add more water as necessary. SOFRITO: In a skillet, heat the oil, add garlic, onion, bell pepper & cook, stirring until the onion is translucent, 8 to 10 minutes. Add the rest of the ingredients & mix well. Add sofrito to the beans, mix well & cok over low heat, covered, until the beans crack open, 30 to 40 minutes. Season to taste & serve. Randelman & Schwartz, Memories of a Cuban Kitchen

Ingredients

• 1 lb Black beans, soaked
• 1 Bay leaf
• 1 md Green bell pepper, cut into
• quarters SOFRITO 2/3 c Olive oil
• 4 Garlic cloves, chopped
• 1 lg Onion, chopped
• 1 md Green bell pepper, chopped
• 3 ts Cumin
• 2 tb Cider vinegar
• 1 ts Chopped green chili

Cook black beans with bay leaf & green pepper until they are very tender & starting to crack open about 2 hours. Add more water as necessary. SOFRITO: In a skillet, heat the oil, add garlic, onion, bell pepper & cook, stirring until the onion is translucent, 8 to 10 minutes. Add the rest of the ingredients & mix well. Add sofrito to the beans, mix well & cok over low heat, covered, until the beans crack open, 30 to 40 minutes. Season to taste & serve. Randelman & Schwartz, Memories of a Cuban Kitchen

Ingredients

• 1 lb Red kidney beans, soaked
• 2 qt Water
• 1 ea Bay leaf
• 1 lg Green bell pepper, seeded &
• quartered SOFRITO 1/4 c Olive oil
• 4 ea Garlic cloves, chopped
• 1 lg Onion, chopped
• 1 lg Green bell pepper, diced
• 1 c Tomatoes, coarsely chopped
• 1 tb Red wine vinegar
• 1/2 c Dry sherry
• 1/2 ts Oregano
• 1/2 ts Cumin
• Salt & pepper -TO FINISH- 2 md Potatoes, diced
• 1 c Butternut squash, diced

Olive oil to taste Combine beans, water bell pepper & salt, bring to a boil & simmer for 1 1/2 to 2 hours. Add more water as needed. SOFRITO: Heat oil in a skillet, saute the garlic, onion & bell pepper till tender. Add tomatoes, vinegar, sherry, oregano, cumin, salt & pepper & cook 10 minutes. When beans are tender, add the sofrito, potatoes & squash. Stir to blend, & cook over a low heat until the potatoes & squash are tender. Either serve as is or puree. Drizzle some olive oil over each serving. Adapted from Randelman & Schwartz, Memories of a Cuban Kitchen

Ingredients

• 1 lb Red kidney beans, soaked
• 2 qt Water
• 1 ea Bay leaf
• 1 lg Green bell pepper, seeded &
• quartered SOFRITO 1/4 c Olive oil
• 4 ea Garlic cloves, chopped
• 1 lg Onion, chopped
• 1 lg Green bell pepper, diced
• 1 c Tomatoes, coarsely chopped
• 1 tb Red wine vinegar
• 1/2 c Dry sherry
• 1/2 ts Oregano
• 1/2 ts Cumin
• Salt & pepper -TO FINISH- 2 md Potatoes, diced
• 1 c Butternut squash, diced

Olive oil to taste Combine beans, water bell pepper & salt, bring to a boil & simmer for 1 1/2 to 2 hours. Add more water as needed. SOFRITO: Heat oil in a skillet, saute the garlic, onion & bell pepper till tender. Add tomatoes, vinegar, sherry, oregano, cumin, salt & pepper & cook 10 minutes. When beans are tender, add the sofrito, potatoes & squash. Stir to blend, & cook over a low heat until the potatoes & squash are tender. Either serve as is or puree. Drizzle some olive oil over each serving. Adapted from Randelman & Schwartz, Memories of a Cuban Kitchen

Dominican cuisine is predominantly Spanish, Taíno, and African. The typical cuisine is quite similar to what can be found in other Latin American countries, but many of the names of dishes are different. One breakfast dish consists of eggs and mangú (mashed, boiled plantain). For heartier versions, mangú is accompanied by deep-fried meat (Dominican salami, typically) and/or cheese. Similar to Spanish tradition, lunch is generally the largest and most important meal of the day. Lunch usually consists of rice, meat (such as chicken, beef, pork, or fish), beans, and a side portion of salad. "La Bandera" (literally "The Flag") is the most popular lunch dish; it consists of meat and red beans on white rice. Sancocho is a stew often made with seven varieties of meat.

Meals are mostly split into three courses throughout the day, as in any other country. One has breakfast, which can be served 8-9 a.m. Then there is lunch, which is usually the heaviest meal of the day and is usually served at noon sharp. The last meal of the day, which is dinner, is usually served by 5:30 or 6 p.m.

Tostones, a fried plantain dish.

Meals tend to favor meats and starches over dairy products and vegetables. Many dishes are made with sofrito, which is a mix of local herbs used as a wet rub for meats and sautéed to bring out all of a dish's flavors. Throughout the south-central coast, bulgur, or whole wheat, is a main ingredient in quipes or tipili (bulgur salad). Other favorite Dominican foods are chicharrón, yuca, casabe, pastelitos(empanadas), batata, yam, pasteles en hoja, chimichurris, tostones.