Hope you all have had a wonderful week so far.  It’s time for another Nerd Word!  This post has nothing to do with jellybeans but I hope this picture makes you happy, it made me happy, almost as happy as eating the whole dang jar…

sweat |swet|

• an instance of exuding moisture over a period of time

• to heat (chopped vegetables) slowly in a pan with a small amount of fat, so that they cook in their own juices : sweat the celery and onions with olive oil and seasoning.

BY ANY OTHER NAME:

 Soffrito (Italian) and Soffregit (Catalan); both translate as “underfrying”.  

This technique is extremely common in soup making.  It is often poorly executed due to misunderstanding and impatience.  “Sweating” is a technique used to soften vegetables while concentrating and deepening their flavors.  Finely chopped vegetables coated in oil are cooked slowly over low heat.  The cooked vegetables are then used as a base for the final dish.  Salt is often added in the beginning of the sweating process to assist in the extruding of water.  In the final stage of a sweat the vegetation will begin to look translucent.  The most important element in the sweating process is maintaining low heat, if the vegetation begins to brown your heat is too high.  

Wasn’t that simple?  Sweating is no sweat…sorry, I couldn’t resist.  Happy Wednesday to you all!  

Sincerely, 

  Pedantic Foodie