Sauté

To sauté is to cook food quickly in a small amount of hot fat over medium-high heat, moving it often. The pieces are small or thin, so they cook through in the time it takes to brown them. Sauter means to jump in French, after the way cooks toss food in the pan. It is used for onions, mushrooms, greens, shrimp and sliced meat.

How to do it

1. Cut the food into even, bite-sized pieces and dry it well.
2. Heat a wide pan, such as a skillet or sauté pan, over medium-high heat.
3. Add a thin film of oil or a mix of oil and butter. Wait until it shimmers.
4. Add the food in a single layer. Do not crowd it.
5. Let it sit for 30 seconds to a minute to brown, then stir or toss.
6. Keep going until it is lightly browned and just cooked through. Season near the end.

How to tell it is done

Vegetables are bright, lightly browned in spots and tender with a little bite. Onions turn soft and translucent, then golden. Mushrooms release their water, the pan dries again and they brown. Shrimp turn pink and opaque.

Why it works

Small pieces in a hot, wide pan lose surface water fast, so they brown instead of stewing. Moving them often spreads the heat so no side burns. The browned bits left in the pan can be used to deglaze for a quick sauce.

Common mistakes

• Crowding the pan. The temperature drops, water pools and the food steams.
• Heat that is too low. You end up sweating the food, which softens it without color.
• Wet vegetables. Spin or pat greens dry first.
• Stirring constantly. Give the food time to touch the pan.
• Salting mushrooms at the start. Salt draws out water and slows browning.

In recipes

"Sauté the onions until soft" usually means medium heat for 5 to 8 minutes. "Sauté until golden" means a little longer, until browned. Compared with pan-frying, a sauté uses smaller pieces and more movement. A stir-fry is hotter and faster still.