Today’s post is the first in an occasional series of articles exploring basic cooking technique, with step-by-step guidance and tips. Today, we focus on how to sauté.

If there were a Hall-of-Fame for culinary technique, sautéing would be a first-round pick. This classic method is simple, versatile and a wise choice for healthy, fresh-tasting meals.  In our kitchen we sauté nearly every day — in a simple preparation of seasonal vegetables, or as part of a larger process such as creating a soup, saucy curry or even a baked frittata.

The word sauté comes from the French as a form of leap or jump.  Imagine ingredients jumping on a hot metal surface (who wouldn’t?) as a cook shakes her skillet and stirs its contents. To sauté is to cook food in a shallow pan, coated lightly with oil, butter or other fat, over relatively high heat.  It is distinguished from deep-frying in the amount of oil involved (less), and from stir-frying in the degree of heat and length of cooking (less and more).  As a catalyst for developing deep flavor, there is no method more useful, and understanding the technique opens the door to a wealth of delicious possibilities in the kitchen.

Here’s how it works:

1. Select a pan. Choose a wide, sturdy skillet with a heavy bottom.  Size is dictated by ingredient amounts.  You want a surface area large enough to accommodate ingredients in a shallow layer.  When food is piled too deeply it steams rather than sautés. Food pieces need direct contact with the pan as much as possible. A heavy bottom ensures even heat conduction throughout the surface to minimize “hot spots” where burning can occur.  Unless a recipe calls for non-stick, it is not required, and often a regular pan is preferred to build the sort of complex layers of caramelizing flavor that can end up nestling themselves in the crannies of a browning pan — and consequently, in the food.

2. Heat the pan over medium to medium-high heat (on my Viking range, medium is perfect).  Add oil or butter when the pan is just warm. Choose a fat that can withstand heat (with a high smoking point). The purpose of the fat is to prevent food from sticking while enhancing the natural taste of the fresh food. All that’s needed is enough to coat the surface of the pan — anything more becomes frying. Recipes typically call for a specific amount, but use judgment.  A larger pan may require more fat, a smaller one, less.

   Olive, grape seed and canola oil are good all-purpose choices.  Butter imparts rich flavor, but burns at a lower temperature. Keep an eye on the pan and disaster will be averted. I sometimes add a smidge of butter to a larger portion of olive oil — taking advantage of the flavor boost, but reaping the benefit of the oil’s cooking profile.

3. Add ingredients to the pan when the oil begins to shimmer, or the butter stops foaming (before it browns).  Avoid adding ingredients too soon or they’ll end up drying out with extended exposure in a heating pan.  Don’t wait too long though, or you’ll have a smoking pan. You’ll know you’ve got it right when you’re greeted with the peppy sizzle of food hitting a hot surface.

4. One of the keys to a proper sauté is allowing the food to cook without too much meddling.  This takes courage and patience.  And delicate balance. By all means, stir and turn to prevent burning (lower the heat or add a splash of water, if needed, to slow down the process) — just not too much. Food needs ample time and contact with a hot pan to develop the characteristic golden-brown beauty marks of a perfect sauté.  Those well-earned spots translate to a bonanza of flavor. Constant turning is akin to a watched pot — resist the urge, and you’ll reap the rewards.

5. You’re now on the way to sautéed freshness.  Let your recipe determine the endpoint — or the poke of a fork in a tender carrot (10 minutes), wilted texture of delicate spinach (less than 3 minutes), or the deep-brown patina of caramelized onions (nearly an hour).

Recipes for the Week:

First, if you happen to have a nearly-stale half of a crusty baguette, a few beets and a couple of oranges from last week (maybe a handful of arugula too), here’s a killer salad that riffs on an Italian summer classic — Panzanella (Bread Salad).  Only this one is citrusy and studded with the occasional earthy bite of deep purple beet — Winter Panzanella with Beets, Orange and Fresh Herbs

And what about a fresh pasta entrée with sautéed leafy greens, perky lemon, toasted nuts and creamy, fresh ricotta?  Pappardelle with Greens and Lemon

Plus you might want to try these versatile Sautéed Carrots with fresh herbs (pictured at the top of the page above). Pair them with nearly any main course.  Or toss with brown rice or quinoa for a vegetarian entrée.

Root Vegetable and Potato Hash Browns.  This dish riffs on classic American hash browns (AKA home fries).  We’ve thrown in cubed rutabaga, but sweet potato or turnip would be great too.  Or nothing but potato, if you prefer.

Quick Tips:

Mix orange zest with softened butter, a bit of honey, the tiniest squeeze of juice and a sprinkling of salt.  Spread on warm toast or a crusty roll.

Make a loose pesto with parsley:  place a packed cup of the chopped leaves in a small food processor with a clove of minced garlic, two tablespoons grated Parmesan, 3 tablespoons walnuts, a squeeze of lemon juice, a pinch of salt and 2 to 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil (more as needed for a spreadable consistency). Process, using the metal cutting blade, until smooth.  Add to cooked pasta or spread on a sandwich. Stir into soup. Fold into hash browns.

Chop kale, sauté with garlic, onions and pinto beans until soft and tuck into a corn tortilla with queso fresco and tomato salsa.

Let us know what you’re sautéing this week.  We’re always looking for fresh ideas…