Cooking is such an inexplicable math equation.
Cooking for two is no big deal. Four is exponentially harder, as is six, but once you hit eight, I find it’s all the same up to 20 or so. A long way of saying that cooking for my in-laws the last week was much more labor intensive than I had anticipated. Tack on a few bad nights of sleep, and I hardly had a brain cell to my name.
Tonight the in-laws out on the town, getting the royal treatment from my friend Hadley at Margot, and I am graciously only in charge of dinner for two. I’ve made a very simple red sauce— shallots and garlic sauteed until soft in olive oil and butter, a splash of sherry, a dash of baking soda,* plenty of salt, mushroom seasoning and canned San Marzano tomatoes. Later I’ll toss it with fresh bucatini E grabbed at Mr. Aaron’s Goods over the weekend, a little Pecorino, starchy pasta water and a cold pat of butter. I’ll top each bowl of noodles with parsley, dill, more cheese, and a couple vegan meatballs I pulled out of the chest freezer. On the side, a blood orange Spindrift.
*The basic pH of baking soda will level out a sauce that’s too acidic. Err on the side of caution if you try this trick; it usually takes very little to strike a nice balance!