What it is.
To sauté is to cook small pieces of food fast in a little oil or butter in a hot pan. You stir or toss them so they cook on all sides.
The word is French for jump, from the way the food jumps when you toss the pan. Onions, garlic, mushrooms and greens are often sautéed.
Why it works.
A hot pan cooks the outside of small pieces quickly, so they brown before the inside goes soft. The fat carries the heat into every part of the food that touches it.
Food has water in it. If the pan is not hot enough, or too full, that water cannot steam away fast. It pools, the pan cools, and the food boils in its own juice instead of browning.
What to look for.
- The oil shimmers before the food goes in.
- A steady sizzle as soon as the food hits the pan.
- Onions turn soft and see-through, then golden at the edges.
- Garlic smells sweet and strong within about a minute.
Common mistakes.
- The food is grey and wet.
- Cook in smaller batches so the pieces are not piled up.
- It sticks and soaks up oil.
- Heat the pan and the oil first, then add the food.
- The garlic tastes bitter.
- Add garlic near the end. It burns faster than onion.
