Sofrito

Sounds exotic but its just a posh name for three vegetables finely chopped a trinity of flavours consisting of celery, onion and carrot.  Waitrose sell little bags of it freshly prepared for about 66p a bag - I have bought it from there before and used it as a basis for Roast Chicken,  stews, soups, casseroles, for roasting the veggies on so you get a beautiful fragrant gravy if you mash and sieve the vegetables off. I pop it into pies, cottage and shepherds pies and it always adds a lovely flavour.

Therefore I was very pleased to learn that you can make and prepare this yourself and store it in the freezer.  That to me means fresh veggies, I know where they have come from and you get oh so much more flavour as a result.  What you freeze them raw - no they are cooked. I found the recipe in one of my new book acquisitions that I bought last year entitled "The Gentle Art of Preserving" by Katie and Giancarlo Caldesi.  The book was on sale for about £25 originally but I managed to get it for £14 which included postage.  Then went into the Works one day and found it for £6,.99 - that is how the cookie crumbles but the book is worth the buy.

The Caldesi's apparently make it from their home grown veggies.  The quantity makes enough for a Ragu mix or a chicken casserole to serve six.

Ingredients:

150ml extra virgin oil

1 1/2 Red or white onions (or a mixture of both)

2 celery sticks finely chopped

1 medium carrot finely chopped

1 teaspoon of salt and plenty of pepper

2 sprigs of fresh Rosemary

3 Bay leaves

2 garlic cloves left whole and crushed with a knife

Method

Heat the oil in the pan and add onion, celery and carrot and the seasoning then add the fresh herbs and garlic.  Cook over a low heat for about 15 minutes stirring and coating the veggies well until the onion is nice and soft and sweet.  Remove the herbs. Cool the mixture and freeze in small containers or vaccuum bags.

Bring out during the week when you are rushed for time at least you have saved the preparation time which enables you to get on quickly with a proper home made meal during these winter months.  Today quite a bit of Sofrito has been made as I have been busy in the kitchen but none of it frozen.  However what it has been used for I will post about later on - its going to be a late tea tonight.

Catch you later

Pattypan.

I have been taking photos but unfortunately have not worked out how to get them from my new phone to my lap top.  Will update the posts when I fathom it out.

PP