Sautéing

MOST OF THE TIME, sautéing means cooking in a frying pan over high heat with a little bit of fat in the pan to prevent sticking. High heat is used so that a tasty crust forms on the outside of whatever it is—meat, fish, or vegetable—that you’re sautéing. Because most foods release liquid as they cook, high heat is needed to get the liquid to evaporate the instant it’s released. That way the liquid helps form a crust on the food instead of just running out into the pan and causing the food to steam.