Ma Petite Cuisine

 

Ma petite cuisine (my tiny kitchen), or I should say, my tiny, crowded, disheveled, but very functional kitchen. I’ve worked in plenty of kitchens throughout my life but this is my favorite. It’s a galley really, a little longer than it is wide in a small 1860’s house in one of Buffalo’s older neighborhoods. For as much as one may think I post about myself I rarely do as despite my internet footprint I am a very private introverted person. But I thought I’d post this (the first post ever of the inside of my house).

The reason I am posting this is that today is the last day of my 9 day staycation (color me sad) and it occurred to me that for the past 9 days I have not eaten out once but instead cooked lunch and dinner at home every day; going to the grocer 6 times in the past week. I love cooking for myself; having cooked for others my entire life it feels good to feed me.

Virtually every recipe I have tested for publication in the past 21 years has been tested here. This is a working kitchen. Not even big enough for a small table, it is home. Tonight’s dinner was rigatoni with fra diavolo sauce and pan roast cauliflower with garlic and saffron. Here’s the recipe for the sauce.

Fra Diavolo Sauce
(Brother Devil Sauce)

Makes about 5 cups

¼ cup olive oil
1 small onion, diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 teaspoons crushed hot pepper
1 (2 oz) tin anchovies
1 cup red wine
1 cup water
1 tablespoon sugar
1 (28 oz) can crushed tomatoes
1 teaspoon salt
1 bunch fresh basil, chopped
1 bunch Italian parsley, chopped

Heat the olive oil in a heavy pot over medium-high heat, then add the onion. Cook the onion, while stirring, for about 5 minutes, or until it just begins to brown. Add the garlic and crushed hot pepper and cook for another couple minutes, or until the garlic begins to brown. Add the anchovies, cook and stir them for a minute, then mash them with the back of a spoon. Stir in the red wine and water, bring to a boil, then lower to a simmer. Cook for a couple minutes, then stir in the tomatoes and salt. Simmer the sauce for about 30 minutes, skimming any foam or impurities as they rise, then add the chopped basil and parsley and simmer another 10 minutes or so.