Sauteing

Sweating (Ukrainian passeruvannia) is a culinary technique of the light, gentle frying of products (most often vegetables) over low heat in a moderate amount of fat, in which they are brought to softness but are not allowed to brown. The aim is not to fry but to “sweat” the vegetables, releasing their aromas and sweetness.

Most often an aromatic vegetable base for first and main courses is sweated: onion, carrot, celery root, sweet pepper. The finely cut vegetables are slowly heated in fat, stirring often, until they become soft, translucent, and aromatic, but stay pale. Under such gentle heating the essential oils and water-soluble substances of the vegetables pass into the fat, which becomes aromatic and enriches the flavour of the whole dish. Flour is also sweated separately (on a dry pan or with fat) — to thicken sauces and soups without lumps or a raw taste. The sweated base is then added to borsch, soups, sauces, and stews, where it gives up all its accumulated flavour. It is important not to confuse sweating with frying: here the key is the low temperature and the absence of a browned crust. It is a fundamental preparatory technique that is the flavour base of countless dishes.