Into the Frying Pan

Thus, you will need to compensate by cutting the harder components smaller, or introducing the ingredients to the pan in descending order of cooking time. But of course there are still exceptions to this.

Some recipes begin with aromatic items such as chopped garlic or ginger being sautéed first. This is to facilitate infusing the ensuing constituents with their essence. Here you must watch the heat since these delicate aromatics can burn by the time you have completed sautéing the remaining ingredients.

Finally, do not overfill the sauté pan. Excessive food will drop the heat and cause the items to steam, not brown. It is far better to sauté your food in batches than crowd the pan and produce limp offerings.

OK we need to talk about non-stick pans. Most people don't realize that a regular pan is almost as slick as a non-stick if used properly. With a few exceptions, most foods do not require a non-stick pan.

The problem with non-stick pans is that they are not conducive to making as flavorful a sauce as a regular pan. After food, particularly protein, has been sautéed, a highly flavorful, caramelized residue known as a "fond" is left in the bottom of the pan.

Pan sauces are made by dissolving the fond with liquid, (wine, stock, citrus juices, etc.), a process known as "deglazing." Non-stick pans do not produce a sufficient fond to accomplish this critical task.

So how do you prevent food from sticking? Let's assume you wish to sauté a chicken cutlet. Brush the cutlet lightly with oil. A uniform application of oil will eliminate any sticking spots and produce an equally uniform sear.

Heat your pan over a medium-high to high flame. Heating the pan first achieves two goals. First, the expansion of the metal will fill tiny scratches where food can stick. Second, adding the fat to an already hot pan will allow the fat to get hotter faster.

The reduced thermal trip to target temperature will cause the fat to deteriorate less. Add the oil and do not introduce the food until the oil starts to smoke. Place the chicken in the pan and DO NOT MOVE IT until the first side has seared.

The seared exterior will prevent the sticking. Moving the food around will thwart the development of a good sear. If your pan was hot enough to begin, you will be able to flip the chicken with minimal resistance. This same technique applies to any other protein you may sauté.

An exception to the "don't move the food" rule is vegetables, particularly if they are diced. Obviously you will need to move them around so all of their sides sauté properly. But allow them to cook undisturbed for some time between each stir or flip.

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