Sauté - Saute
Sautéing is a cooking term that refers to the cooking of food with a small amount of fat such as olive oil or butter over high heat until it browns while preserving the color, moisture and flavor of the food. Olive oil actually works better than butter; even though butter is more flavorful, it burns at a lower temperature and more quickly because it is a milk product. In order to sauté, you should place the food items in a sauté pan or another shallow pan large enough so that the food isn’t crowded. Too much food in the pan will cause the food to cook unevenly and will take a longer amount of time. The sautéing process thoroughly cooks the food yet retains all of the flavor. The following food items are typically sautéed:
- Chicken
- Spinach
- Green Beans
- Potatoes
- Onions
- Garlic
- Broccoli
- Beef Tenderloin
- Shrimp
- Filet of Sole
- Sea Bass
- Green Beans
Make sure to use only enough oil or butter to coat the plan, otherwise instead of sautéing you will being frying the food. It is better to use tongs instead of a fork to flip the meat during the sautéing process because the piercing of the fork allows the juices to escape. Sauces (teriyaki, ginger or garlic lemon butter) can be poured over the food during the sautéing process which adds extra flavor as well.
