How to Sauté Vegetables

Vegetables are excellent when blanched or steamed until about 90 percent done and then transferred to a skillet to be finished by sautéing in butter and maybe fresh herbs. Many classic recipes for potatoes call for sautéing; thinly sliced raw potatoes are delicious when cooked this way. In the Sautéed Skillet Potatoes recipe, you cut the potatoes into fine cubes and toss them in a hot pan until crispy.

Be very careful when you put rinsed vegetables (or other foods) into a pan of hot fat. The water that clings to the vegetables makes the fat splatter, which can cause serious burns. Always dry vegetables before sautéing.

Sautéed Skillet Potatoes

Preparation time: About 15 minutes

Cook time: About 20 minutes

Yield: 4 servings

2 large baking potatoes, about 1-1/2 pounds total

1/4 cup canola or corn oil

2 tablespoons butter

1 medium yellow onion, peeled and chopped

1/2 green bell pepper, cored, seeded, and chopped

1/2 teaspoon dried oregano

1/2 teaspoon or less of salt

Few dashes black pepper

1⁄8 teaspoon cayenne pepper or red pepper flakes (optional)

1. Cut any eyes and bad spots out of the potatoes.

   Scrub them with a vegetable brush to remove dirt, but leave them unpeeled. Cut potatoes into 1/4-inch cubes.

2. Place the potato cubes in a colander in the sink.

   Run very hot water over the potatoes for about 10 seconds to remove the starch. Drain well and dry on paper towels.

3. Heat the oil in a large, nonstick skillet over high heat.

   Add the potatoes and cook, stirring often, for about 10 minutes.

4. With a slotted spoon, remove the potatoes from the pan to a large bowl.

   Remove the oil from the skillet, and wipe the skillet with paper towels.

5. Melt the butter in the skillet over medium-high heat.

6. Sauté the onion, bell pepper, oregano, salt, black pepper, and cayenne pepper, if desired.

   Cook, stirring occasionally, for 4 to 5 minutes until the vegetables begin to soften.

7. 7Add the potatoes back into the skillet and sauté everything together until the potatoes are browned and crisp, about 5 more minutes. Serve immediately.

Per serving: Calories 325 (From Fat 180); Fat 20g (Saturated 5g); Cholesterol 15mg; Sodium 307mg; Carbohydrate 35g (Dietary Fiber 4g); Protein 4g.