sofrito

{{Infobox food

| name = Sofrito

| image = Sofrito.jpg

| image_size =

| caption = {{lang|es|Sofrito}} being prepared in Spain

| alternate_name =

| type =

| course =

| country =

| region = Latin American, Spanish, Italian and Portuguese

| national_cuisine =

| creator =

| year =

| mintime =

| maxtime =

| served =

| main_ingredient = Garlic, onion, peppers, and tomatoes

| minor_ingredient = Olive oil

| variations =

| serving_size =

| calories =

| calories_ref =

| protein =

| fat =

| carbohydrate =

| glycemic_index =

| similar_dish =

| cookbook = Sofrito

| commons =

| other =

| no_recipes =

}}

{{lang|es|Sofrito}} ({{IPA|es|soˈfɾito|lang}}), {{lang|ca|sofregit}} ({{IPA|ca|sufɾəˈʒit|lang}}),{{cite book |author-last=Andrews |author-first=Colman |author-link=Colman Andrews |title=Catalan Cuisine, Revised Edition: Vivid Flavors From Spain's Mediterranean Coast |chapter=Part Two: SAUCES - Sofregit |pages=37ff |publisher=The Harvard Common Press |publication-place=Boston, Massachusetts |edition=Revised |df=dmy-all |year=2005 |orig-date= Originally published: New York: Macmillan, 1988 |isbn=9781558323292 |url={{google books |id=-K_ekX6BVXsC |plainurl=yes}} |access-date=2021-11-08}} {{lang|it|soffritto}} ({{IPA|it|sofˈfritto|lang}}), {{lang|fr|sofrit}} ({{IPA|fr|sofʁi|lang}}), {{lang|pt|refogado}} ({{IPA|pt|ʁɨfuˈɣaðu|lang}}) or {{lang|eu|sueztitze}} ({{IPA|eu|s̺ues̻ˈtits̻e|lang}}) 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 for a long period of time over a low heat.

In modern Spanish cuisine, {{lang|es|sofrito}} consists of garlic, onion and peppers cooked in olive oil, and optionally tomatoes or carrots. This is known as {{lang|pt|refogado, sufrito}}, or sometimes as {{lang|pt|estrugido}} 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.{{cite web|url=https://dicionario.acad-ciencias.pt/pesquisa/?word=refogado|title=Lisbon Academy of Sciences, Dictionary of the Portuguese Language, Refogado|access-date=23 October 2018}} In Italian cuisine, chopped onions, carrots and celery is battuto, and then, slowly cooked in olive oil, becomes soffritto. It may also contain garlic, shallot, or leek.

The word {{lang|es|sofrito}} derives from the Spanish verb sofreír, meaning “to stir-fry."{{Cite web |title=Sofrito {{!}} Definition, Origins, Ingredients, Varieties, & Uses {{!}} Britannica |url=https://www.britannica.com/topic/sofrito |access-date=2025-02-16 |website=www.britannica.com |language=en}}

Mediterranean

The earliest mentioned recipe of {{lang|es|sofrito}}, from around the middle of the 14th century, was made with only onion and oil.{{Cite book|title=The book of Sent Soví : medieval recipes from Catalonia|date=2008|publisher=Tamesis|others=Santanach i Suñol, Joan., Vogelzang, Robin M.|isbn=978-1-85566-164-6|location=Woodbridge, Suffolk|oclc=183149198}}

In Italian cuisine, chopped onions, carrots and celery is {{lang|it|battuto}},{{cite web|url=http://www.italiana.co.uk/onionscarrotandcelery.html|title=Onions, Carrot and Celery|website=www.italiana.co.uk|access-date=13 October 2018}} and then, slowly cooked{{cite web|url=https://www.tastingtable.com/cook/national/soffritto-italian-secret-ingredient-cooking-base-need-to-know|title=The Secret Weapons in Italian Cooking|date=5 July 2016|website=tastingtable.com|access-date=13 October 2018}} in olive oil, becomes {{lang|it|soffritto}}.{{cite web |author-last=Howald Patton |author-first=Lindsey |title=All About Mirepoix, Sofrito, Battuto, and Other Humble Beginnings |website=Serious Eats |publisher=Dotdash |df=dmy-all |date=2020-04-04 |orig-date=May 2014 |url=https://www.seriouseats.com/2014/05/all-about-mirepoix.html |access-date=2021-11-08}} It may also contain garlic,{{cite web|url=http://cookingwineandtravel.com/recipe/Marinara_Sauce__Soffritto_Style|title=Marinara Sauce - Soffritto Style|website=CookingWineandTravel.com|access-date=13 October 2018}} shallot, or leek.{{cite web|url=https://www.seattlemag.com/article/chef-jerry-corso-gets-cooking-soffritto|title=Chef Jerry Corso Gets Cooking with Soffritto|date=15 March 2016|website=seattlemag.com|access-date=13 October 2018}}

In Greek cuisine, sofrito refers to a dish that is found almost exclusively in Corfu. It is served less commonly in other regions of Greece and is often referred to as 'Corfu sofrito' outside of Corfu. It is made with veal or beef, slowly cooked with garlic, wine, herbs, sugar and wine vinegar to produce an umami sauce with softened meat. It is usually served with rice and potatoes.

Latin America

File:Sofrito (2957019534).jpg

In Venezuelan cuisine, the sofrito also called aliño has four main ingredients as its aromatic base: garlic, onions, bell pepper and sweet chili (ají dulce) generally fried in corn oil. This chili is presumed to be a non-spicy variation of crops originated in the Andean mountains, created by the selective cultivation of the indigenous populations of Margarita Island and the coastal regions of Venezuela {{Cite web |date=2020-11-11 |title=Ají dulce: identidad venezolana en un ingrediente inmigrante {{!}} El Estímulo |url=https://elestimulo.com/gastronomia/2020-11-11/aji-dulce-identidad-venezolana-en-un-ingrediente-inmigrante/ |access-date=2024-07-02 |website=elestimulo.com |language=es}} from where it was later adopted by some of the Caribbean colonies. It is used as a base for most of Venezuelan dishes including pabellón criollo, asado negro, pastel de chucho, and hallaca. Sometimes other secondary components are added such as tomato, spring onions, parsley or coriander, depending on the dish.

In Cuban cuisine, {{lang|es|sofrito}} is prepared in a similar fashion, but the main components are Spanish onions, garlic, and green or red bell peppers. {{lang|es|Ají cachucha}} is also often used instead of or in addition to bell peppers. It is a base for beans, stews, rices, and other dishes, including {{lang|es|ropa vieja}} and {{lang|es|picadillo}}. Other secondary components include tomato sauce, dry white wine, cumin, bay leaf, and cilantro. {{lang|es|Chorizo}} (a kind of spicy, cured sausage), {{lang|es|tocino}} (salt pork) and ham are added for specific recipes, such as beans.Rodriguez, Hector (October 16, 2017). [http://latinfood.about.com/od/seasoningmarinade/p/What-Is-Sofrito.htm "All About Sofrito: Origins, History, and Variations"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170105211924/http://latinfood.about.com/od/seasoningmarinade/p/What-Is-Sofrito.htm |date=5 January 2017 }}. The Spruce Eats.

In Dominican cuisine, {{lang|es|sofrito}} is also called {{lang|es|sazón}}. Dominican {{lang|es|sofrito}} mostly depends on what is available. Chopped cubanelle pepper or bell pepper, red onion, garlic, and lippia (Jamaica oregano) are always a part of its typical cuisine and sometimes this is the only seasoing. Other ingredients added depending on availability are cilantro, culantro, celery, tomato paste or fresh tomatoes, sour orange, vinegar, or sweet chili peppers. Dominicans also add alcaparrado (olives) for some of their dishes. [http://www.dominicancooking.com/1095-sofrito-sazones-dominicanos-4-versions.html "Dominican Sofrito & Sazón – 4 Versions"]. DominicanCooking.com, January 1, 2011.

In Puerto Rican cuisine, {{lang|es|sofrito}} is used in a variety of dishes such as rice dishes, sauces, soups, among other typically Puerto Rican dishes. The two main ingredients that give Puerto Rican {{lang|es|sofrito}} its characteristic flavor are {{lang|es|recao}} (culantro) and {{lang|es|ají dulce}}, but red and green cubanelle peppers, red bell peppers, pimientos, orégano brujo, yellow onions, garlic, tomato sauce, and cilantro are also added. Traditionally red peppers are roasted until black and some of the skin is removed before they are added to the {{lang|es|sofrito}}. Sofrito is made in large batches and blended until it resembles a smoothie, bottled and stored in a refrigerated or frozen for use later. Tomato sauce is a part of sofrito but is added only when cooking is in progress and not blended into the batch. {{lang|es|Sofrito}} is sautéed in lard, oil or annatto oil until most of the liquid has evaporated. cured pork (ham, sausage, or salted pork), and a mix of stuffed olives and capers called {{lang|es|alcaparrado}} is usually added with bay leaf, cumin, coriander seeds, and {{lang|es|adobo}}.S, Lucille (January 26, 2014). [http://www.food.com/recipe/sofrito-daisy-martinez-444676 "Sofrito (Daisy Martinez)"]. Genius Kitchen.{{cite book|last=Rombauer|first=Irma S.|author2=Marion Rombauer Becker|author3=Ethan Becker|title=Joy of Cooking|publisher=Scribner|year=2006|pages=[https://archive.org/details/joyofcooking00romb_0/page/1013 1013]|chapter=Sofrito (Seasoned Lard)|isbn=978-0-7432-4626-2|chapter-url-access=registration|chapter-url=https://archive.org/details/joyofcooking00romb_0/page/1013}}

Asia

In Filipino cuisine, {{lang|fil|ginisá}} 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 {{lang|es|sofrito}}.{{cite web|url=http://www.glorious-food-glossary.com/cms/glossary-lexicon/glossary-g/805-ginisa.html|title=Ginisa|access-date=2008-05-22|date=December 2003}}{{cite web|url=http://www.manilaspoon.com/2012/05/giniling-guisadoginisang-giniling.html|title=Giniling Guisado/Ginisa - Basic Recipe|access-date=2014-03-28|date=2012-05-02}}

References

External links

{{cite web|url=https://www.finecooking.com/recipe/sofrito|title=Sofrito - Recipe|author=Thomas Keller|author-link=Thomas Keller|website=finecooking.com}}
{{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}}

Category:Food ingredients

Category:Tomato sauces

Category:Caribbean cuisine

Category:Colombian cuisine

Category:Cuban cuisine

Category:Dominican Republic cuisine

Category:Ecuadorian cuisine

Category:Filipino cuisine

Category:Cuisine of the Ionian Islands

Category:Italian cuisine

Category:Latin American cuisine

Category:Mexican cuisine