Iberian Peninsula (pan-Spanish and Portuguese)
The sofrito (Spanish) and sofregit (Catalan) are both names for the same fundamental technique — aromatics slowly cooked in olive oil until they collapse, concentrate, and caramelise — but the composition and technique differ significantly between Spanish regions and between Spain and Portugal. The Castilian sofrito is onion, tomato, garlic, and olive oil, cooked 20-40 minutes. The Catalan sofregit adds long-cooked onion before the tomato, producing a sweeter, jammier base. The Valencian version may include peppers. The Portuguese refogado uses onion and garlic with a large proportion of olive oil and adds tomato and sometimes chouriço. All are the foundation upon which virtually every regional stew, rice, and fish dish is built.
Time is the technique — the minimum is 20 minutes on medium-low heat; 40-60 minutes produces the sweetest, most concentrated result. The onion must soften and begin to take colour before the tomato is added. Tomato reduces the heat dramatically — maintain medium heat after adding it. The finished sofrito should be thick, slightly jammy, and darker than the raw ingredients. Season once at the beginning, not throughout.
The test for a finished sofrito: a wooden spoon drawn across the base of the pan should leave a channel that closes slowly. Any liquid should be thick and syrupy, not watery. Sofrito freezes well in ice cube trays — make large batches and freeze portions. A good sofrito can rescue an ordinary dish; a poor sofrito cannot be rescued by any subsequent technique.
Rushing with high heat — the sugars in the onion caramelise rather than develop. Adding tomato before the onion is fully soft — the acid prevents the onion from softening further. Under-cooking — pale, watery sofrito is the most common error in Spanish cooking. Not tasting and adjusting — a finished sofrito should taste sweet, slightly acidic, and deeply savoury.
Moro by Sam and Sam Clark