In many French homes, the' skillets are passed down from mother to daughter. I remember particularly the great long handles of the two my mother inherited from her mother. They had been made originally for use in an open fireplace, and a very long handle is essential, of course, when the cook works before a big hot open fire. The forks for turning food were long-handled, too. My little grand-mère dispensed with the fork. She was very skillful at turning food by tossing it up in the air, which is, incidentally, the way this kind of cooking got its name: sautér means to jump. Everyone treasured the old pans because they cooked better than new ones, much better. They became seasoned from constant use; the heat and fat improved the metal in such a way that the foods browned evenly and seldom stuck to the pan even when very little fat was used. Furthermore, an iron pan that has been used regularly for a couple of generations is much less apt to rust than a brand new pan.
Your second consideration is the fat you choose. This depends to an extent upon your personal preference and sometimes on your pocketbook. Or you may like a certain kind of fat because you arc accustomed to it. have learned the “feel” of it, so that you can recognize by its appearance or odor the stage when it is just hot enough.
In fine cooking and in preparing delicately flavored foods, butter is the favorite fat. However, melted butter has a milky sediment that settles in the pan. This sediment scorches easily. Therefore, clarified butter is better to use for sautéing. To clarify butter, heat it until the froth rises. Spoon off the froth and pour the clear oil off the sediment.
Many people use drippings from a roasting pan in sautéing. If you wish to do this, spoon the fat out of the pan as it accumulates during the roasting process instead of waiting until the roast is cooked. Fat works better if it has not been subjected to much heal. Store the drippings in the refrigerator; in a warm kitchen they soon take on an off-flavor and may become rancid. Lamb fat, which has a strong flavor, is not recommended for sautéing, and chicken fat. which has a very individual flavor of its own, is not widely popular. Goose fat is excellent, second only to butter; beef and pork fat are fine, too.
If you plan to sauté pork chops or beef, cut some of the fat from the meat. Heat this suet or pork fat until the fat has cooked out and discard the brown cracklings that remain. This process is called “rendering” or “trying out.” You may also use a good salad oil. However, if a fat other than butter is used for sautéing, it should not be used to make a pan sauce. Always discard the cooking fat and add butter to the pan before starting the sauce. by adding a little butter to the pan after the fat has been discarded and cooking a little chopped shallot or onion in it until the onion is soft. Add 2 tablespoons stock or wine for each serving, deglaze the pan, cook until the liquid is reduced by half, and swirl in a little butter. To make a mushroom pan sauce, add the butter and ½ pound cleaned, sliced mushrooms. Cook them until they are soft, add a tablespoon finely chopped shallot or onion and ¼ to ½ cup gravy, and cook a few minutes. In the recipes that follow you will find variations of these pan sauces. All can be used interchangeably with steaks, chops, hamburger, liver, or veal scallops.
To Sauté Tournedos of Beef and Thin Steaks
Season the meat, cut less than 1 ½ inches thick, with salt and pepper. Heat enough clarified butter in a skillet to cover the bottom of the pan well. Arrange the pieces of meat side by side and brown [hem over high heat for 2 to 5 minutes on each side, depending on the thickness of the meat and the degree of doneness desired. Remove the meat to a serving dish. Add ¼ to ½ cup stock or red wine to the pan and cook, stirring in all the brown bits, until the liquid is reduced by half. Add 1 tablespoon butter, swirling it in by moving the pan in a circular motion, and pour the sauce over the meat.
Côtelettes d'Agneau Sautées (Sautéed Lamb Chops)
Season lamb chops, cut about 1 inch thick, with salt and pepper. Heat enough clarified butter in a skillet to cover the bottom. Cook the chops for 3 to 5 minutes on each side, depending on the degree of doneness desired. Remove the Chops to a warm platter. Add to the pan ½ tablespoon butter for each serving, cook the butter until it is hazelnut brown, and pour it over the chops.
Côtelettes de Pore Sautées (Sautéed Pork Chops)
Trim the surplus fat from 6 pork chops, each about ¾ inch thick, season the chops with salt and pepper, and rub them with Hour. Pur the trimmings of far in a heavy skillet add cook them slowly to render the fat; there should be enough to cover the bottom of the pan. Discard the solid bits. Arrange the chops in the pan so that the whole surface of each chop touches the bottom of the pan. Sauté them slowly about 12 to 15 minutes on each side. Sprinkle with chopped parsley. The flavor of pork liver is made more delicate by soaking the liver in milk for an hour or two. Drain and dry (he slices thoroughly before flouring them. Any moisture will create unwanted steam and destroy crispness.
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