with the characteristic notes contributed by the oil itself A food may be fried partly or fully immersed in oil, or just well lubricated with it (sautéing); and typical oil temperatures range from 325–375ºF/160–190ºC True frying is faster than oven frying because oil is much denser than air, so energetic oil molecules collide with the food much more frequently The key to successful frying is getting the piece size and frying temperature right, so that the pieces cook through in the time that the surfaces require to be properly browned Starchy vegetables are the most commonly fried plant foods, and I describe the important example of potatoes in detail in chapter (p 303) Many more delicate vegetables and even fruits are fried with a protective surface coating of batter (p 553) or breading, which browns and crisps while the food inside is insulated from direct contact with the high heat Stir-Frying and Sweating Two important variations on frying exploit opposite ends of the temperature scale One is hightemperature stir-frying The vegetables are cut into pieces sufficiently small that they heat through in about a minute, and they’re cooked on a smoking-hot metal surface with just enough oil to lubricate them, and with constant stirring to ensure even heating and prevent burning In stir-frying it’s important to preheat the pan alone and add the oil just a few seconds before the vegetables; otherwise the high heat will damage the oil and make it unpalatable, viscous, and sticky The rapidity of stir-frying makes it a good method for retaining pigments and nutrients At the other extreme is a technique sometimes called “sweating” (Italian soffrito or Catalan soffregit, both meaning “underfrying”): the very slow cooking over low heat of finely chopped vegetables coated with oil, to develop a flavor base for a dish featuring ... to preheat the pan alone and add the oil just a few seconds before the vegetables; otherwise the high heat will damage the oil and make it unpalatable, viscous, and sticky The rapidity of stir-frying...Stir-Frying and Sweating Two important variations on frying exploit opposite ends of the temperature scale One is hightemperature stir-frying The vegetables are cut into pieces sufficiently small that they... retaining pigments and nutrients At the other extreme is a technique sometimes called “sweating” (Italian soffrito or Catalan soffregit, both meaning “underfrying”): the very slow cooking over low heat of finely