For Sandra Cardet, Cuban cooking is pretty much all about the sofrito.

Cardet, founder and co-owner with her son, Alex Guevara, of the Cuban restaurant Havana Grill, explained that “some people around the world call this the Holy Trinity, because it’s onions, peppers and garlic cooked in olive oil. And when you’re frying this up as the base of the dish, the aromas that come out of your kitchen are just fantastic. But the secret is to make a really good sofrito.”

You can learn Cardet’s tips and get her recipes for several of her favorite dishes, including her version of the Cubano sandwich, in my new story for The San Diego Union-Tribune’s Food section.