sofrito

sauce used as a base in Latin American, Spanish, Italian, and Portuguese cooking

Sofrito, sofregit, soffritto, sofrit, refogado or sueztitze 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, then used as a foundation for a variety of dishes. It is a basic preparation in Mediterranean and Latin American cooking.