Blond Soffritto Base Food

BLOND SOFFRITTO BASE

Steps:

• Place celery in the bowl of a food processor; process until minced (you should have about 1 cup). Repeat process with carrots (you should have about 1 cup).
• Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add celery, carrot, and onion; cook, stirring occasionally, until mixture is no longer steaming and vegetables are caramelized, about 1 hour.

SOFRITO: A BASE FOR MANY DISHES

Steps:

• In a sauce pot set on medium, cook the bacon in the olive oil for 30 seconds. Add red and yellow peppers, onions, and garlic, and saute until soft. Add the habanero, jalapeno, and saffron, cook for 1 minute. Add the sherry and cream if desired. Reduce by 1/4, cool and puree in a blender.

MARCO CANORA'S YELLOW-PEPPER SOUP

Steps:

• Heat soffritto base in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add peppers and cook, stirring to coat. Continue cooking until peppers are softened, about 3 minutes. Add potatoes and stir to combine.
• Add bay leaves and enough water to cover the vegetable mixture by about 1 inch (about 9 cups); season with salt and pepper and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer and cook until pepper and potatoes are almost soft, about 30 minutes.
• Crush the thyme with the flat side of a knife and add it to the pot. Continue to simmer until peppers and potatoes are completely soft, about 15 minutes more.
• Remove bay leaves and thyme; discard. Working in batches, pass soup through a food mill fitted with a fine disk. Whisk in 1/2 cup olive oil, if desired; season with salt and pepper. If soup seems too thick, add a little water to thin out. Serve warm, drizzled with olive oil and garnished with croutons and thyme leaves.

SOFFRITTO

Steps:

• Soak mushrooms in 1 1/2 cups lukewarm water for about 30 minutes.
• Heat olive oil in large frying pan.
• Stir in onions.
• Cook for two minutes over medium heat, stirring.
• Add minced garlic.
• Continue cooking, stirring frequently, until onions are soft.
• Add parsley and basil, and cook until the parsley loses its intense green color.
• Remove mushrooms from soaking liquid, and set liquid aside.
• Add tomatoes and mushrooms to pan.
• Strain mushroom soaking water and add with spices to mixture.
• Simmer over low heat until water reduces, about thirty minutes.
• Season to taste with salt and freshly milled pepper.
• When cooked, this can be used immediately, or poured into ice cube trays.
• When the mixture is frozen, remove from the trays and save in the freezer in a plastic bag.
• Use the cubes as needed as a flavoring/base for soups and stews.