salamander

1. A long, slender, chiefly terrestrial amphibian of the order Caudata, superficially resembling a lizard.
2. A creature much like a lizard that is resistant to and lives in fire (in which it is often depicted in heraldry), hence the elemental being of fire.
3. A metal utensil with a flat head which is heated and put over a dish to brown the top.
4. A small broiler (North America) or grill (Britain) that heats the food from above, used in professional cookery primarily for browning.

   The chef first put the steak under the salamander to sear the outside.

5. The pouched gopher, Geomys tuza, of the southern United States.
6. A large poker.
7. Solidified material in a furnace hearth.
8. Portable stove used to heat or dry buildings under construction.

verb

To use a salamander (cooking utensil) in a cooking process.