To this day, I have not met a Colombian who doesn't know what hogao is or what it tastes like, because we all grew up with it. Our mothers always made it for breakfast to serve with eggs or arepas, or for lunch and dinner so we could add it to our soups, stews or beans. It's so essential that you cannot go to a Colombian restaurant, anywhere in the world, and not see it as part of the menu.

Hogao is a simple tomato and green onion sauce that cooks on low heat to let the flavors blend while the vegetables swim in their own juices. The word actually comes from the verb "ahogar" (to drown) and that's exactly what you're trying to do, letting everything cook slowly to get the best flavor and consistency. Unlike many other Latin sauces you may be familiar with, this one is not spicy at all. Like I've said in previous posts, Colombians are not big fans of spicy food and don't usually add heat to their meals. If you are, then all you have to do is throw in a couple of hot peppers or a small amount of pepper flakes, but it won't be the traditional hogao that is prepared in Colombia.

Even though hogao is a basic recipe made all over the country, it still varies from region to region and from family to family. If you do a Google search on it, you will find recipes that call for all kinds of vegetables, oils and seasoning. But to me, the best hogao is the one grandmothers have been making for centuries with what little they had, only the basics.

Feel free to serve this sauce to complement any meal such as arepas, beans or empanadas. But let me tell you, serve it on French or Italian bread, and it makes a fantastic appetizer.

¡Buen provecho!