David Kinch - At Home in the Kitchen: Simple Recipes from a Chefs Night Off [A Cookbook]

I dont have a formal dining room. Walking up to my porch on a summer evening, you would be likely to pass by a few friends sitting on the stoop, drinking chilled wine and watching the sunset. Through the front door, youll find my living room filled with records, photography books, Stones memorabilia, instruments, bicycles, art, and various items of nostalgia that make me feel at home. In the corner, surrounded by bay windows, sits a circular table thats rarely used for dining as its almost always covered by a jigsaw puzzle.

Moving through the living room brings you to what best passes as my dining table, nestled between tall windows and my kitchen island. Its a relatively small teak table with four chairs thats usually hidden beneath cookbooks and yellow notepads scribbled with recipes and ideas.

When Im having friends over, I put away my work, extend the tables leaves on both sides, and cover its surface with food. Dips, spreads, salads, and mezzes fill every square incha handful of my favorite small plates collected from years working in restaurants around the world. Filling up my table in this way gives guests an idea of what to expect. Instead of a lonely bowl of chips and salsa, for example, an abundance awaits them the second they walk in the door. The tone is set: one of festive, yet modest extravagance. Guests relax before their first drink, anticipating the evening to come.

This kind of presentation doesnt take a weeks worth of preparation, nor does it require a huge budget. The recipes in this chapter are quick and inexpensive enough to make a handful for a party, or to prepare for yourself as snacks during the week. What makes them special is their simplicity: each recipe highlights a few fresh ingredients in the best way I know how.

Ive also included in this chapter some key pantry ingredients that I always keep on hand: stocks to prepare in advance, like chickpea (see ), which will give you a chance to get creative with flavor.

These recipes are the product of years spent traveling: eating on porches, around a table, or on the street. I wrote them from memory; I have made every one of these hundreds of times. They celebrate the small things and simple ingredients that bring me joy. Whether youre making them for yourself, or to fill your pantry, or to cover your dining table, I hope they help you celebrate the small things, too.

Mother-Sauce Mayo

Everyones quick to praise aioli, but theyre less willing to profess their love for its more understated cousin: mayonnaise. I, on the other hand, describe mayonnaise as the home because you can season it to your liking and put it on just about anything. Its hard to believe that nearly a cup of oil can be emulsified into one egg yolk, but I assure you that, with some patience, a room-temperature egg can turn into what I consider to be the ultimate mother sauce. It takes a little more effort, yes, but a homemade, hand-whisked mayo makes all the difference in the world.

Makes about 1 cups

1 egg yolk, at room temperature

1 tablespoon white wine vinegar

Scant cup sunflower oil

Salt

Dijon mustard, freshly squeezed lemon juice, or sriracha, for seasoning (optional)

Place the yolk in a large bowl and add the vinegar. Using a hand whisk, whisk until combined. Continue to vigorously whisk the yolk while you add the oil in very small increments. (And when I say small, I mean three drops at a time, especially to start. If you accidentally add too much oil at once, the sauce will break. In this case, your best option is to start over.)

Continue to add the oil and whisk as the sauce starts to thicken. When it becomes very thick and difficult to whisk, add a small splash of cold water and a pinch of salt. Continue with this process patiently, until youve whisked in all of the oil. Continue to add water when you notice the mayonnaise becoming too thick.