Ah, the magical combination that is a couple tomatoes, a handful of scallions and a pinch of cilantro. In Colombia, as in many other places in Latin America, you’ll find sofrito, also called guiso or hogao, as the base in many dishes. But sometimes it’s so good you just might have to eat it out of a bowl with nothing but a spoon or a piece of leftover arepa.

Momenta Family Recipe: Sofrito

Ingredients

• 5 ripe tomatoes, chopped
• 1 bunch of scallions, chopped
• 1 handful of cilantro, chopped
• 1 tablespoon of olive oil
• Salt to taste

Optional

• Garlic, minced
• Red onion, chopped
• Bell pepper, chopped
• Jalapeño, seeded & chopped

Directions

1. Chop up all of your ingredients.
2. Pour olive oil into medium saucepan and place over medium heat.
3. When the oil has begun to heat, add the chopped tomatoes and scallions.
4. Sauté for about 10 minutes, stirring with a wooden spoon.
5. Add cilantro, salt to taste and cook for about 15 more minutes, stirring gently until sauce thickens.

Additional suggestion

If you plan on using the sofrito as a base for another dish later on in the week, simply let it cool, spoon it into an ice cube tray and freeze it!