Simple sautes: take the heat out of summer cooking

Vegetarian Times, June, 2005 by Robin Robertson

Sauteing foods is the French equivalent of stir-frying--it's a basic technique for quick, easy cooking. You just fast-stir small pieces of food in a little oil over moderately high heat, something all cooks do without thinking, "Oh, I'm sauteing!" In summer, sautes can be your best friend. You can whittle down a mountain of fresh veggies in no time, and have your meal ready while family members are still tugging off their bathing suits.

Company coming? Add a green salad, finish with a fruit sorbet, and you have a light, welcoming meal with little fuss.

"SALSA VERDE"
YELLOW SQUASH SAUTE

Serves 6 * Vegan * 30 minutes or fewer

Tomatillos are traditionally used to make
the green salsa served with enchiladas.
Here they add a light, tangy flavor that
complements the sweetness of yellow
squash and the earthy black beans. Look
for them with the tomatoes in the produce
section of your supermarket. Canned
tomatillos are not a good substitute here, so
if you can't find fresh, use an equal amount
of green tomatoes cut into eighths.

1/4 cup chopped cilantro
2 Tbs. fresh lime juice
1/8 tsp. hot pepper sauce
2 Tbs. olive oil
1 medium-sized onion, chopped
2 large cloves garlic, minced
1 lb. yellow squash, quartered and
  cut into 1/2-inch-thick pieces
1 lb. tomatillos, peeled, rinsed and
  cut into sixths
1 15.5-oz. can black beans, drained
  and rinsed
Salt and freshly ground black
  pepper to taste

1. Combine cilantro, lime juice and
hot pepper sauce in small bowl.

2. Heat olive oil in large skillet over
medium heat. Add onion, and cook
3 to 4 minutes, or until soft and
translucent. Stir in garlic, and cook
30 seconds.

3. Increase heat to medium-high.
Add squash and tomatillos, and cook,
stirring constantly, 5 to 6 minutes,
or until vegetables are tender. Stir in black
beans, salt and pepper, and cook 1 to
2 minutes, or until heated through.

4. Remove pan from heat, and stir in
cilantro mixture. Serve immediately.

PER SERVING: 140 CAL; 6G PROT; 6G TOTAL FAT
(1G SAT. FAT); 21G CARB; 0MG CHOL; 160MG
SOD; 7G FIBER; 5G SUGARS

LEMONY ASPARAGUS,
CAPERS AND CRISPY TOFU

Serves 6 * Vegan * 30 minutes or fewer

Serve this simple saute warm, or let
it cool and take it along on a picnic
for an elegant entree. In seasons
when asparagus isn't abundant,
substitute broccoli florets or broccoli
rabe. Try a grating of regular or soy
Parmesan cheese to enhance flavors.

1 8-oz. pkg. Italian-style
  baked tofu, cubed
2 Tbs. olive oil
1 small red onion, chopped
3 large cloves garlic, minced
1 4-oz. jar pimientos
1/4 tsp. crushed red pepper
2 lb. asparagus, trimmed and cut
  into 1 1/2-inch pieces
2 Tbs. fresh lemon juice
1 Tbs. lemon zest
2 Tbs. capers, optional
Salt and freshly ground
  black pepper to taste

1. Spray large nonstick skillet with
cooking spray. Cook tofu cubes
over medium heat 5 to 7 minutes,
or until brown and crispy.
Remove from pan, and set aside.

2. Heat 1 Tbs. olive oil in skillet
over medium heat. Saute onion
3 to 4 minutes, or until soft.
Add garlic, pimientos and crushed
red pepper, and cook 30 seconds
more, or until fragrant.

3. Increase heat to medium-high.
Add asparagus, and cook 3 to
4 minutes, stirring constantly,
or until asparagus is bright green
and crisp-tender. Add lemon juice,
lemon zest, capers, if using, salt
and pepper. Drizzle with remaining
1 Tbs. olive oil, and top with tofu
cubes. Serve immediately.

PER SERVING: 130 CAL; 9G PROT; 8G TOTAL FAT
(1 5G SAT. FAT); 8G CARB; 0MG CHOL; 115MG
SOD; 3G FIBER; 3G SUGARS

EGGPLANT-TOMATO
SAUTE WITH FENNEL AND
FRESH OREGANO

Serves 6 * Vegan * 30 minutes or fewer

Instead of serving this over rice or
pasta, try it wrapped in warmed pita
bread with a sprinkling of feta
cheese. If you can't find the slender
Japanese eggplant, just substitute
regular eggplant that's been peeled
and cut into cubes.

2 Tbs. olive oil
1 medium-sized onion,
  cut into 1-inch slivers
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 medium-sized Japanese
  eggplant (about 1 lb. total),
  halved and cut into
  3/4-inch slices
8 oz. Italian-seasoned
  baked tofu, cubed
1 fennel bulb, thinly sliced
1 yellow bell pepper, seeded
  and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
3 Tbs. chopped fresh oregano
6 plum tomatoes,
  halved and sliced
Salt and freshly ground
  black pepper to taste

1. Heat olive oil in large skillet
over medium heat. Saute onion
4 to 5 minutes, or until soft.

2. Increase heat to medium-high.
Add garlic, eggplant, tofu, fennel,
bell pepper and oregano, and cook
5 to 6 minutes, or until eggplant
is tender and slightly browned.
Stir in tomato slices, salt and
pepper. Cook 1 to 2 more
minutes, or until tomatoes are
heated through. Serve immediately.

PER SERVING: 160 CAL; 9G PROT; 8G TOTAL
FAT (1.5G SAT. FAT); 15G CARB; 0MG CHOL;
135MG SOD; 6G FIBER; 5G SUGARS

SUGAR SNAP PEA SAUTE
WITH SHIITAKE
MUSHROOMS AND CORN

Serves 6 * 30 minutes or fewer

Slicing the sugar snap peas in
half into thin "canoes" makes this
saute more elegant than a stir-fry
and easier to eat.

2 Tbs. olive oil or unsalted butter
1 large leek, cleaned and
  chopped
1/4 lb. shiitake mushrooms,
  stems removed and sliced
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 cups sugar snap peas,
  sliced in half lengthwise
1 1/2 cups fresh or frozen
  corn kernels
1/2 cup chopped fresh basil
8 oz. fresh mini-mozzarella balls,
  drained and halved

1. Heat olive oil in large skillet
over medium heat. Saute leek,
mushrooms and garlic 5 to 6
minutes, or until leek is soft
and mushrooms are tender.

2. Increase heat to medium-high.
Stir in sugar snap peas and corn.
Cook, stirring constantly,
3 to 4 minutes more, or until
sugar snap peas are bright green
and crisp-tender.

3. Remove from heat, stir in
chopped basil and mini-mozzarella
balls. Serve immediately.

PER SERVING: 220 CAL; 10G PROT; 13G
TOTAL FAT (6G SAT FAT); 17G CARB; 30MG
CHOL; 70MG SOD; 3G FIBER; 5G SUGARS