Good Food FAST!

You want good food fast?  Just learn one quick technique and you will be able to cook hundreds of different dishes.

Technically, saute is french for jump or rise up.  Culinarily, it is something like pan frying, except that you cook food in a very modest amount of hot fat in a wide shallow pan.  The goal is cooking them through without added moisture.

A saute is a saute, is a saute - change seasonings at will, but the saute technique stays the same.  You heat a little oil (1 - 2 Tbs.) in a big shallow pan, add a seasoned chicken breast, brown over high heat, then cook to tender and done by lowering the heat quite a bit and covering the pan.  This way the meat is surrounded by warmth.  If instead of chicken, you were sauteing something that cooks much faster, like fish filets, you would not cover the pan.  If you add just a little liquid to the pan, maybe a 1/4 to 1/3 cup, technically you would still be sauteing.

Add a cup or more of liquid to really moisten the main ingredient, and you step into a new technique - the braise.  You braise tougher meat cuts and vegetables which demand more time to tenderize, like cabbage, carrots, rutabaga and potatoes.  Add enough liquid to cover the food, and you have stew.

Just remember the two tricks to the saute:  brown over high heat, finish cooking over very low heat for juicy results.  Do it all very fast over high temperature and you will toughen your dinner.

Here are more ideas using the technique.  Master it then let your imaginiation and what is available lead the way.  You will build an arsenal of go-to recipes faster than you think.

Italian Pork Chop Saute:  This illustrates how saucing is done in the pan as the meat cooks.  Use olive oil to coat the saute pan. Quickly brown thick-cut pork chops, seasoning with salt and pepper, then add a little chopped onion, minced garlic, fresh rosemary, a cut up tomato, and about 1/3 cup white wine.  Turn the heat down so the mix barely bubbles, cover the pan, and cook until the pork is just firm when pressed.  Take the chops out of the pan, boil down the pan sauce and pour over the meat.

Salmon-Basil Saute:  Toss a hand-ful of basil leaves in the pan, cook, thick-cut, salted and peppered salmon steaks exactly the way the chicken is done.  Before covering the salmon, add some thin-sliced garlic.  Fish usually cooks at 10 minutes per inch of thickness.  Finish with fresh lemon juice to taste.

Vegetable Saute:  Use the same saute idea with some good tasting fat (I prefer extra virgin olive oil) and vegetables.  This is pure Mediterranean food.  Slivered carrots with salt, pepper, raisins, onion and garlic can be lightly seared over high heat (don't burn the garlic).  Then add a little white wine, cover the pan tightly, and cook them over low heat until they are tender.  That little bit of liquid will make a glaze over the carrots.  Do the same thing with slivered turnips and you will be surprised how good they are.  Use orange slices and chile with chunks of onion or cauliflower.  Again, the technique stays the same; but the ingredients can change at will.

By using this technique and taking a look at what you have in your pantry, refrigerator and freezer, you will be shocked at the amazing meals you can create.

WHAT'S FOR DINNER
Last night we had a version of the Italian Pork Chop above, but you will see a few changes that really exhibit how you can use what you have in the pantry and fridge to make a great dinner.

Instead of a chopped tomato (I did not have any), I used about 1/2 to 2/3 of a can of Muir Glen Fire Roasted Diced tomatoes.  Instead of rosemary, I used a combination of sage, thyme and basil (I have fresh pots of these herbs growing in my window).  Instead of dry white wine, I used some leftover spanish brut sparkling wine that I had left in the fridge.  I roasted some cauliflower and baby red potatoes in the oven and a great dinner was served quickly.  At the same time, I roasted some other vegetables that I plan to use later in the week for a linguini Primavera.  A double or triple play in one meal - I LOVE THAT!  The pan sauce that was created with tomatoes, wine, onion, garlic and herbs turned unbelievably sweet and flavorful as it cooked and really made the entire meal.

CHEERS!