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1
Set your frying pan over highest heat and swirl in the butter and oil.
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2
When the butter foam has almost subsided, rapidly lay in the steaks.
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3
Saute undisturbed for a minute or so, quickly season the surface of the meat with salt and pepper, and turn the steaks.
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4
Season the steaks on the exposed sides, and let brown again for a minute or so before testing for doneness.
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5
The Deglazing Sauce.
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6
Remove the meat to a hot platter and cover while making the sauce.
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7
Tilt the pan and spoon out all but a smidgen of fat, stir in the shallot and garlic with a wooden spoon, and let saute a moment, then swish in the wine and broth, stirring the coagulated meat juices into the liquid.
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8
Let boil rapidly for a few seconds, until reduced to a syrup.
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9
Remove pan from heat, toss in the butter, and swirl the pan by its handle to swish the butter into the sauce until it has been absorbed.
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10
The sauce will smooth and thicken lightly; you will have but a small spoonful of deliciously concentrated juices per person.
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11
Pour over the steaks, and serve.
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12
VEAL SCALLOPS.
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13
Use 5-to-6-ounce veal steaks (slices from the loin or leg) 1/2 inch thick.
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14
Season and brown on both sides in hot butter and oil, as described in the master recipe.
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15
Cook to mediumuntil lightly springy to the touch.
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16
Deglaze the pan with minced shallots, white wine, a dash of dry Madeira or port, and a sprinkling of tarragon.
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17
BONELESS CHICKEN BREASTS.
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18
For a quick saute, I like to remove the skin and pound the breast meat between sheets of plastic wrap to a thickness of 1/2 inch.
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19
Season with salt and pepper, then proceed to the saute in clarified butter (page 36).
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20
Cook the breasts about 1 minute per side, until springy to the touchcareful not to overcook, but you must be sure the chicken is cooked to the just-well-done stagethe juices run clear yellow with no tinge of pink.
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21
Deglaze the pan as described, with minced shallots, dry white French vermouth, and chicken stock; a sprinkling of tarragon goes nicely in the sauce here.
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22
SHRIMP IN LEMON AND GARLIC.
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23
Saute 30 large medium peeled and deveined raw shrimp in 3 tablespoons olive oil with 1 or 2 large cloves of garlic, minced, and the minced zest (yellow part of peel) of 1/2 lemon.
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24
When the shrimp have curled, in 2 minutes or so, and feel springy, remove from heat and toss with 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice, drops of soy sauce, and salt and pepper to taste.
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25
Toss again, with 2 tablespoons of fine fresh olive oil and a sprinkling of minced parsley and fresh dill.
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26
SEA SCALLOPS SAUTEED WITH GARLIC AND HERBS.
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27
For 1 1/2 pounds, serving 6.
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28
Cut large scallops in thirds or quarters.
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29
Season with salt and pepper and, the moment before cooking, dredge in flour.
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30
Heat 2 to 3 tablespoons of clarified butter (see page 36) or olive oil in a large nonstick frying pan, and when very hot but not smoking, turn them into the pan.
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31
Toss every few seconds, swirling the pan by its handle.
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32
As they rapidly begin to brown add a large clove of minced garlic and 1 1/2 tablespoons of minced shallots, then 2 tablespoons of minced fresh parsley.
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33
The scallops are done when just springy to the touch.
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34
Serve at once.
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35
HAMBURGERS.
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36
Sometimes I like my hamburgers perfectly plain and at other times I want to flavor them.
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37
In any case, form the meat rather loosely into 5-ounce pattiesabout 1/2 inch thick for quick cooking.
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38
Plain Hamburgers.
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39
If Im to pan-fry them I rub the pan itself with a little vegetable oil, heat it to almost smoking, and saute the hamburgers about 1 minute on each side.
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40
I give them the finger test, as in the master recipeI like mine medium rare, when they are barely beginning to take on a little spring.
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41
Rather than pan-frying plain hamburgers, however, I do recommend the stovetop grill pan with its ridged interior.
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42
Oil it lightly, heat it until almost smoking, and on go the hamburgers.
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43
The cooking fat runs out of the meat and off the ridges into the valleys.
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44
Flavored Hamburgers.
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45
For 4 hamburgers, fold into the meat 1 grated medium-size onion, salt and pepper, 3 tablespoons sour cream, and 1/2 teaspoon mixed herbs such as Italian or Provencal seasoning.
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46
Just before sauteing, turn the burgers in flour and shake off excess.
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47
Saute on both sides in hot oil and make the sauce as directed in the master recipe.
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48
Test rapidly and often, since meat can overcook very quickly.
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49
Press it with your finger.
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50
If it feels squashy, like raw meat, it is very rare.
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51
As it cooks it becomes springywhen lightly springy it is medium, and if there is no spring it is well done.
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52
The scallops you buy may well have been plumped in a saline solution that exudes when the scallops are warmed, making a proper saute impossible.
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53
If you are dealing with a fishmonger, always ask for dry scallops.
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54
In any case, its wise to test them out by briefly heating through 3 or 4 in a dry nonstick frying pan.
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55
If liquid exudes, heat all of them by handfuls, drainsaving liquid for fish stockdry, and then proceed to your saute but cut down on the normal timing.
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56
Dredging the food in a light coating of flour before the saute helps to hold the meat together and also gives it a light protective crusting.
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57
You will have little or no caramelization in the pan, and as to sauce you may simply want to make a browned butter, as for the fish fillets meuniere below.
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58
Or, if you have a thicker piece of meat that needs further cooking, let it simmer in the wine and broth, and the flour coating will give you a lightly thickened sauce.
