All About Mirepoix, Sofrito, Battuto, and Other Humble Beginnings

They're called "humble beginnings" for a reason. The foundation of so many of the world's greatest dishes—from chicken fricassee to jambalaya—is merely a group of un-fancy vegetables that disappear, practically or literally, once they have performed their part. They subsume themselves to the flashier, more obvious members of the company. The seafood and saffron might be the stars of a paella Valenciana, but what's flavoring all that creamy rice? It starts with something called sofrito, the Spanish mixture of onion, garlic, and tomatoes gently sautéed in a slick of olive oil. As difficult as it is to see in the finished product, you'd definitely miss it more than those clams if it were taken away. From France's mirepoix (onion, carrot, celery) to Germany's suppengrün (carrot, celeriac, leek) to the famous Holy Trinity of Cajun cooking (onion, celery, green bell pepper), almost every cuisine in the world starts with a common, simple, balanced, vegetable base. What do these groups of prod

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• Brooke Joseph