While this stew isn't a traditional Puerto Rican recipe, it delivers the same soulful and satisfying essence of the island's dishes. Studded with hefty meatballs to sink your teeth into, the dish is stacked with layers of flavor thanks to sofrito, the all-purpose Puerto Rican base made of herbs and aromatics. Sofrito is a cheat code that provides so much flavor in so little time--and this recipe yields enough to freeze and use in a range of dishes (see Tips). The only thing that requires a bit of patience is forming the meatballs. This recipe offers a lot of freedom to make it your own: In the winter you can add cabbage, in the spring add young carrots, in the summer add zucchini and in the autumn pumpkin is the perfect addition! A final splash of olive brine is optional, but this was always my grandma's little secret and it adds a much needed awakening of flavor after everything has simmered and darkened. Plus, what else are you going to do with all that leftover brine after you've eaten a jar of garlic-stuffed olives?Total Time: 1 hour ...read more read less