Sofrito
The base of the paella: onion slowly fried in olive oil with a seasoned tomato sauce, reduced until intense red.
by Gerard
Ingredients
- 1 onion
- as needed olive oilideally olive oil, but any vegetable oil works; copious amounts, the tomato has to fry in it
- 500 g tomatoescanned or fresh, any kind as long as it's ripe (maduros) and soft, almost falling apart when cut; San Marzano canned tomatoes are great (Kirkland from Costco works well)
- 1 tsp sugar
- to taste salt
Tools (3)
- paella pan or large frying pan
- splatter screen
- blender
Steps
- Cut the onion onion1 into small pieces and poach it in olive oil olive oilas neededideally olive oil, but any vegetable oil works; copious amounts, the tomato has to fry in it in the pan paella pan or large frying pan over medium heat for about 10 min, until it’s all yellow and very soft, but not burned. Stir from time to time so it doesn’t stick to the bottom or burn: the onion burns quickly.
- Blend the tomatoes tomatoes500 gcanned or fresh, any kind as long as it's ripe (maduros) and soft, almost falling apart when cut; San Marzano canned tomatoes are great (Kirkland from Costco works well) in a blender blender for about 1 min, with about one teaspoon of sugar sugar1 tsp and a teaspoon or two of salt saltto taste , until you have a sauce. Taste it: it should be clearly salty but not oversalted, and it must not taste acidic. If the acidity still comes through, add more sugar until it’s gone.
- Pour the tomato sauce into the pan with the onions and cook over high to medium-high heat for about 3-4 min, with plenty of olive oil olive oilas neededideally olive oil, but any vegetable oil works; copious amounts, the tomato has to fry in it in the pan: the tomato has to fry in it, so don’t be shy. Beware of splatters: with all that oil it splashes a lot, so wear an apron or clothes you don’t mind staining, or use a splatter screen splatter screen to cut down the splashes.
- Lower the heat to medium-low and let it simmer for about 10 min until most of the water has evaporated and it turns an intense red, but check by eye and taste. Stir from time to time so it doesn’t stick or burn at the bottom: the sofrito burns quickly. When it’s done it should taste salty, with that umami flavor of a good tomato sofrito; if it’s not salty enough, add more salt saltto taste .
Cut the onion onion1 into small pieces and poach it in olive oil olive oilas neededideally olive oil, but any vegetable oil works; copious amounts, the tomato has to fry in it in the pan paella pan or large frying pan over medium heat for about 10 min, until it’s all yellow and very soft, but not burned. Stir from time to time so it doesn’t stick to the bottom or burn: the onion burns quickly.
Blend the tomatoes tomatoes500 gcanned or fresh, any kind as long as it's ripe (maduros) and soft, almost falling apart when cut; San Marzano canned tomatoes are great (Kirkland from Costco works well) in a blender blender for about 1 min, with about one teaspoon of sugar sugar1 tsp and a teaspoon or two of salt saltto taste , until you have a sauce. Taste it: it should be clearly salty but not oversalted, and it must not taste acidic. If the acidity still comes through, add more sugar until it’s gone.
Pour the tomato sauce into the pan with the onions and cook over high to medium-high heat for about 3-4 min, with plenty of olive oil olive oilas neededideally olive oil, but any vegetable oil works; copious amounts, the tomato has to fry in it in the pan: the tomato has to fry in it, so don’t be shy. Beware of splatters: with all that oil it splashes a lot, so wear an apron or clothes you don’t mind staining, or use a splatter screen splatter screen to cut down the splashes.
Lower the heat to medium-low and let it simmer for about 10 min until most of the water has evaporated and it turns an intense red, but check by eye and taste. Stir from time to time so it doesn’t stick or burn at the bottom: the sofrito burns quickly. When it’s done it should taste salty, with that umami flavor of a good tomato sofrito; if it’s not salty enough, add more salt saltto taste .