sautéing
Quick hot skillet
Sautéing is cooking food quickly in a small amount of fat over high heat, typically in a shallow pan.
The technique keeps ingredients moving—tossed or stirred—to brown them evenly without steaming: Sautéing the onions until translucent takes about five minutes.
From French *sauter*, to jump, describing how food moves in the pan.
Cooking in shallow oil
- tossingLight underhand throw
- browningFood darkening when cooked
- searingBrowning with intense heat
- deglazingDissolving pan drippings
caramelizing · shallow-frying · flambéing · stir-frying · quick-cooking · flash-cooking · sweating · softening
Shallow pan for frying
- wokConcave cooking pan
- cast ironBrittle iron-carbon alloy
- nonstickResists food adhesion
- frypanFlat-bottomed cooking vessel
spatula · tongs · wooden spoon · burner · stove · cooktop · induction · gas flame
Pungent culinary bulb
- onionsPungent layered cooking bulbs
- shallotsMild clustered cooking bulbs
- mushroomsSpore-bearing fruiting bodies
- peppersSeasons or bombards repeatedly
zucchini · greens · chicken breast · shrimp · scallops · tofu · olive oil · clarified butter
Light underhand throw
Sound of frying
- temperatureMeasured heat intensity
- flameBurning gas made visible
- conductionHeat transfer through contact
- MaillardSurname behind browning
caramelization · sear · browning · hot oil · preheating · thermal
Art of choosing moments
- mise en placePre-cooking ingredient arrangement
- precisionAccuracy of measurement
- donenessState of being cooked
- techniqueSkilled way of performing
finesse · knife skills · coordination · practice · multitasking
pan-frying
Cooking in shallow oil
deglazing · caramelizing · shallow-frying · flambéing · stir-frying · quick-cooking · flash-cooking · sweating · softening
skillet
Shallow pan for frying
frypan · spatula · tongs · wooden spoon · burner · stove · cooktop · induction · gas flame · splatter screen
garlic
Pungent culinary bulb
- onionsPungent layered cooking bulbs
- shallotsMild clustered cooking bulbs
- mushroomsSpore-bearing fruiting bodies
peppers · zucchini · greens · chicken breast · shrimp · scallops · tofu · olive oil · clarified butter · ghee
tossing
Light underhand throw
swirling · turning · shaking · wrist flick · redistributing
sizzle
Sound of frying
- temperatureMeasured heat intensity
- flameBurning gas made visible
- conductionHeat transfer through contact
Maillard · caramelization · sear · browning · hot oil · preheating · thermal
timing
Art of choosing moments
- mise en placePre-cooking ingredient arrangement
- precisionAccuracy of measurement
- donenessState of being cooked
technique · finesse · knife skills · coordination · practice · multitasking
sautéingdeep-frying
Cooking in hot oil
oil-free cooking · dry roasting · pan-frying · shallow frying
sautéingboiling
Liquid vaporization temperature
steaming · poaching · slow-cooking · braising · stewing