Sofrito

(Spanish, ), ( Catalan), (Italian, ), or (Portuguese, ) is a basic preparation in Mediterranean, Latin American, Spanish, Italian and Portuguese cooking. It typically consists of aromatic ingredients cut into small pieces and sautéed or braised in cooking oil.

In modern Spanish cuisine, consists of garlic, onion, peppers, and tomatoes cooked in olive oil. Carrots are an optional inclusion. This is known as , or sometimes as in Portuguese-speaking nations, where only garlic, onions, and olive oil are considered essential, tomato and bay laurel leaves being the other most common ingredients.

Mediterranean

In Mediterranean cuisine, olive oil is heavily emphasized as the third critical component in the base along with tomatoes and onions. Garlic is optional, as it is not considered an integral part of the standard recipe. The earliest mentioned recipe of '','' from around the middle of the 14th century, was made with only onion and oil. Tomatoes and peppers, both New World vegetables, were not cultivated in Europe until the 1540s, and are a later addition.

In Italian cuisine, chopped onions, carrots and celery is , and then, slowly cooked in olive oil, becomes . It is used as the base for many pasta sauces, such as bolognese sauce, but occasionally it can be used as the base of other dishes, such as sauteed vegetables. For this reason, it is a fundamental component in Italian cuisine. It may also contain garlic, shallot, or leek.

In Greek cuisine, the term refers to a specific dish native to, and almost exclusively to be found on, the island of Corfu. is a veal steak slow-cooked in a white wine, garlic, and herb sauce, and is usually served with rice.

Latin America

In Brazilian cuisine, the verb also encompasses dishes that are fried in vegetable oil before being boiled or steamed, even when the actual fried seasoning is not there. Similarly, rice that has been toasted in vegetable oil before it is boiled is technically .

In Colombian cuisine, is called which is made with only long green onion and tomato, or is made mostly of tomato, onion, coriander, cumin and sometimes garlic; it is used when cooking stews, meats, rice, as a dip or spread for arepas or other street foods and other dishes.

In Cuban cuisine, is prepared in a similar fashion, but the main components are Spanish onions, garlic, and green or red bell peppers. is also often used instead of or in addition to bell peppers. It is a base for beans, stews, rices, and other dishes, including and . Other secondary components include tomato sauce, dry white wine, cumin, bay leaf, and cilantro. (a kind of spicy, cured sausage), (salt pork) and ham are added for specific recipes, such as beans.

In Dominican cuisine, is also called , and is a liquid mixture containing vinegar, water, and sometimes tomato juice. A or is used for rice, stews, beans, and other dishes. A typical Dominican is made up of very finely chopped green, red, and yellow bell peppers, red onions, garlic, ground oregano, apple cider vinegar, tomato paste, water, and cilantro. Ingredients vary and can change, for instance cubanelle peppers can substitute for bell peppers, celery can replace onions, and parsley or culantro can be used in place of cilantro.

In Ecuadorian cuisine, is called , and it is made of Spanish onions, cubanelle peppers, fresh tomatoes, roasted garlic, cilantro, and ground toasted cumin.

In the Mexican state of Yucatán, habanero chiles are essential to the local variation of .

In Peruvian cuisine, sofrito is called ''aderezo'', and it is made of red onion, garlic, one or more chili paste (ají), according to recipe, salt and black pepper. Aderezo could also incorporate tomato or achiote. Some regional variation is known, as the inclusion of ''loche'' squash in north coastal Peru.

In Puerto Rican cuisine, is mostly used when cooking rice dishes, sauces, and soups. is closely related to . The two main ingredients that give Puerto Rican its characteristic flavor are (culantro) and , but red and green cubanelle peppers, red bell peppers, pimientos, yellow onions, garlic, plum tomatoes, and cilantro are also added. All red peppers are roasted, seeded, and then added to the . is traditionally cooked with olive oil or annatto oil, (bacon), salted pork and cured ham. A mix of stuffed olives and capers called is usually added with spices such as bay leaf, ''Bixa orellana'' (achiote) and .S, Lucille (January 26, 2014)
"Sofrito (Daisy Martinez)"
Genius Kitchen.

In Haitian cuisine, the flavor base of most dishes is ''epis'', a combination sauce made from cooked peppers, garlic, and herbs, particularly green onions, thyme, and parsley. It is also used as a basic condiment for rice and beans and is also used in stews and soups.

In some Caribbean cuisine, is seasoned lard and functions as a base for many traditional dishes, but prepared differently from the method described above. Lard (acquired from rendering pork fat) is strained, and annatto seeds are added to colour it yellow, and later strained out. To the colored lard is added a ground mixture of cured ham, bell pepper, chile pepper, and onion; after this, mashed coriander leaves (cilantro) and oregano leaves are added. Garlic cloves are added in a tea ball, and the sauce is simmered for half an hour. The term also refers to a number of related sauces and seasonings in the Caribbean and Central and Latin America.

Asia

In Filipino cuisine, is a culinary term that refers to a base of garlic, onions, and tomatoes sautéed together with cooking oil. It is essentially similar to the Spanish .

See also

* Tempering (spices)
*
* Sauce
* Salsa
* Holy trinity
* Sofrito (stew)
* Epis

References

Further reading

*Roden, Claudia, ''A New Book of Middle Eastern Food'': London 1986
*Roden, Claudia, ''The Book of Jewish Food'': New York 1997, London 1999

External links

*
* {{cite web, url=https://www.thepauperedchef.com/article/how-to-soffritto, title=How-To: Soffritto, author=Thomas Keller, author-link=Thomas Keller, website=The Paupered Chef

Food ingredients
Tomato sauces
Caribbean cuisine
Colombian cuisine
Cuban cuisine
Dominican Republic cuisine
Ecuadorian cuisine
Philippine cuisine
Cuisine of the Ionian Islands
Italian cuisine
Latin American cuisine
Mexican cuisine
Portuguese cuisine
Puerto Rican cuisine
Sephardi Jewish cuisine
Spanish cuisine