How do you feed five hungry boys and a husband during a pandemic? Just ask Sara Martinez, a chef, writer, teacher and mom to five school aged boys. While everyone has been home, Sara describes the scene as cook, clean up. Cook, clean up. And lots of groceries. She continues her work remotely with Wellness in the Schools, teaching cooking and nutrition in South Florida schools, the perfect blend of her chef training and degree in nutrition.

Sara and I met in an online food writing class, Cook N Scribble, led by the late great Molly O’Neill. We furthered our friendship at O’Neill’s Longhouse Food Revival, an annual themed gathering at a barn turned kitchen, cafe and classroom in Rensselaerville, New York. The following year, O’Neill set up a dream trip for our writing group to do our cooking and scribbling at Julia Child’s home in the South of France. Sadly O’Neill became critically ill and insisted that the show must go on without her. Cue Sara who filled Molly’s shoes to help feed and entertain a group of hungry writers. We are eager to return.

What’s your 20 minute recipe? Tutti Quanti, an acidic type of condimentI. It’s Italian for ‘a lot of people or a lot of things.’ I interpret it as anything you have, pretty much anything you have in your fridge you can use. It’s a salt, fat, acid type recipe. It doesn’t have the heat element because you don’t cook it, here the heat is the spice which boosts the flavor. You don’t really feel it tasting spicy. Where I’m from in Venezuela we use an acidic sauce on our root vegetables and meats. It helps cut the richness. It’s really really versatile. For Father’s Day we did a type of Argentinian barbecue with picanha and sausages and served it with the Tutti Quanti.

What’s your favorite city? New York, definitely. I really like southern France, and I love Washington, D.C.

What’s your favorite restaurant in your current city? There’s a special sushi place that I like, Sushi Song. It’s tiny and their sushi is amazing! They have a really really really good roll, the Spiderman roll. It’s salty, sweet, crunchy all in one!

Treasured find in the back of your fridge? My homemade vanilla extract. I use a recipe from Cook’s Illustrated, make it in a big mason jar. I got a bunch of vanilla beans from Restaurant Depot and made a batch with white rum. I put some of the pods in a clamp jar for vanilla sugar for a treasured find in my pantry.

Who taught you to cook? In my childhood, we had a housekeeper, Augustina. She’s from Colombia and part of our family. I owe it to her! She cooked for us and always made this special rice. I still make it her way. You wash long grain rice to remove the starch, then parch it in a little oil in the pot to get the rice grains coated with oil. Don’t let them brown. Add water, salt and a clove of garlic, then let the water reduce off until you see little holes. Turn it down and cover and cook low low on the stove for 10 to 15 minutes.

Surf? or Turf? I like them equally, I’m 50-50. Mar y Tierra. Though after watching the Netflix documentary Game Changer, I think we should all go plant-based. It’s a must must must see!

What’s on your cooking playlist? Lately I put some dance-y Latin music/Merengue/Reggaetón on Pandora.

Coffee, tea, or Kombucha? I love tea! Cold tea with lemon. Lately I’ve been drinking more coffee, cafe con leche from the Nespresso.

Date night—at home? or out? Out!

Most stained cookbook? Actually it’s a Venezuelan cookbook, Comida Criolla. I want to cook what I can’t have, so I crave the food of my country. Recently we made Pastel de Chucha. It’s layers of poached sea skate which has the flavor of lobster and the texture of soft cod. You layer it with sweet mashed plantains, sofrito with raisins, bechamel and salty white cheese.

Indispensable kitchen tool? My offset spatula. It’s great for everything!

Staple childhood comfort food? Oh gosh, I have so many! I guess an empanada.

What’s your go-to dish for company? Lasagne/Pasticcio with flan or tres leches for dessert.

Go-to olive oil? We have an Arabic store and they have a great Lebanese olive oil at a great price. I love fruity olive oil! Also Portuguese olive oil is amazing.

Who would you most like to share a meal with? past, present or fictional? Definitely my paternal grandfather. I never got to meet him, seemed like an extraordinary person.

Ideal grilled cheese? Hmmmm. Sharp cheddar. Has to be sharp cheddar! My ideal grilled cheese is from the Penn State Creamery with the tangy cheddar. It’s the best ever.

Favorite pizza topping? I love hearts of palm. It’s awesome on pizza! Mushrooms, artichoke hearts and hearts of palm. Try it, it’s really great!

Where would you want to take a cooking class? In Tuscany.

What’s your Counter Intelligence cooking tip? Always undercook things a little bit. The carryover heat will finish the cooking. Also, cook with all your senses. Look, smell, listen, taste and feel. It’s alchemy, it encompasses everything. When you’re so focused on a recipe, you’re not paying attention to the sensory clues. Use your senses when you write, also.

Three things next to your stove? Crocks with wooden spoons and spatulas, cruet of olive oil, salt and pepper. My kitchen is small so the Nespresso is there, too, because it doesn’t have a choice.

Tutti Quanti

Sara’s go-to condiment is so versatile, build and blend to suit your taste. The cilantro and onion are non-negotiable.

1 bunch cilantro, including stems, rinsed and spun dry
1 small onion, peeled and halved or a fist-sized equivalent of green onion or shallot
2-3 cloves garlic, peeled
1 ripe tomato OR blend of fresh bell pepper for sweetness and an aji dulce* pepper if you can find one
1/4 cup olive oil
good splash of vinegar/you just want to taste it (can use lemon but gives the sauce a different profile)
1 to 2 teaspoons hot sauce (Sara likes Sriracha or Tabasco)
Salt and pepper to taste

PUT the cilantro, onion, garlic, and tomato or pepper(s) in a blender or food processor.
POUR the olive oil over and add a good splash of vinegar and a teaspoon of hot sauce.

BLEND until smooth. Taste and season with salt and pepper, adding additional hot sauce for a little more spice and adjust vinegar if you like it more tart.

SERVE with a platter of grilled meats or roasted vegetables.

STORE extras in a mason jar in the fridge.

*aji dulce peppers are a quintessential component of Venezuelan cooking. Sara recommends seeking them.