Sofrito is heavily emphasized as the third critical component in a "sofregit" base along with tomatoes and onions. Garlic is optional, as it is not considered an integral part of the standard "sofregit" recipe. Some "sofregit" recipes do not contain tomatoes at all, but are made more complex with the addition of diced vegetables such as leeks or bell peppers. In Italian cuisine, chopped onions, carrots and celery is battuto, and then, slowly cooked in olive oil, becomes "soffritto". It is used as the base for most pasta sauces, such as arrabbiata sauce, but occasionally it can be used as the
XO sauce fine XO (extra-old) cognac, which is a popular Western liquor in Hong Kong and considered by many to be a chic product there. The term "XO" is often used in Hong Kong to denote high quality, prestige and luxury. Indeed, XO sauce has been marketed in the same manner as the French liquor, using packaging of similar colour schemes. Typical ingredients of XO sauce include dried scallop, red chili pepper, Jinhua ham, dried shrimp, garlic, and canola oil. Some other recipes also call for salted cured fish and diced onion. XO sauce can be used as a table condiment or