sofrito
Sautéed aromatic starter
Sofrito is a flavor base of aromatics slowly cooked in oil or fat, foundational to Spanish, Latin American, and Caribbean cooking.
The ingredients vary by region—Spanish sofrito typically combines tomatoes, onions, and garlic; Puerto Rican sofrito adds peppers and cilantro.
The mixture forms the starting point for rice dishes, stews, beans, and sauces: She spooned sofrito into the pot before adding the beans.
Pungent layered bulb
- garlicPungent culinary bulb
- tomatoRed culinary fruit
- bell pepperMild, hollow pod vegetable
- olive oilFruit-pressed culinary fat
cilantro · oregano · cumin · bay leaf · paprika · annatto · culantro · coriander
Underlying support structure
- mirepoixFrench aromatic vegetable base
- trinityUnified set of three
- flavor baseAromatic cooking starter
- starting pointPlace of commencement
building block · essential · fundamental · cornerstone · backbone · groundwork
From the smallest Greater Antille
- SpanishLanguage of Iberia
- CubanFrom a Caribbean nation
- DominicanPreaching order member
- Latin AmericanFrom Spanish-speaking Americas
Caribbean · Mediterranean · paella · arroz con pollo · beans · rice dishes · stews · picadillo
onion
Pungent layered bulb
- garlicPungent culinary bulb
- tomatoRed culinary fruit
- bell pepperMild, hollow pod vegetable
olive oil · cilantro · oregano · cumin · bay leaf · paprika · annatto · culantro · coriander · ham
foundation
Underlying support structure
- mirepoixFrench aromatic vegetable base
- trinityUnified set of three
- flavor baseAromatic cooking starter
starting point · building block · essential · fundamental · cornerstone · backbone · groundwork
sauté
Cook quickly in fat
simmer · blend · sweat · caramelize · slow-cook · stir · mince · crush · purée · render
Puerto Rican
From the smallest Greater Antille
Latin American · Caribbean · Mediterranean · paella · arroz con pollo · beans · rice dishes · stews · picadillo · empanadas
fragrant
Emitting pleasant smell
garlicky · herbal · rich · warm · zesty · tangy · caramelized · sizzling · appetizing · mouthwatering
- comida hispanicatacos, paella, tortilla, empanadas, frijoles
- Mexican ingredientsnopal, nopales, tomatillo, masa, poblano
- pastestomato paste, chili paste, garlic paste, ginger paste, curry paste
- cooking resultsbatter, broth, dough, gravy, sauce
- Caribbean cuisinemofongo, tostones, plantains, lechon, arroz con pollo
- cooking basesstock, broth, roux, bouillon, dashi
sofritobland
Lacking distinctive qualities
tasteless · unseasoned · flavorless · plain · insipid