Whether home is a small apartment, a tiny house or RV, a boat, or a college dorm room, space in the kitchen is nearly always at a premium. But cooking in a small kitchen, with minimal equipment, doesn't have to be limiting, it can actually be is a great opportunity to hone food-prep skills and become a more efficient, versatile home chef. And the smarter the workspace, the easier it is to cook. In The Tiny Kitchen Cookbook, chef Annie Mahle shares her small-space cooking strategies and 50 of her favorite recipes she developed as the galley chef aboard the J&E Riggin, a windjammer she operated with her husband off the coast of Maine for many summers. From her 6-by-8-foot kitchen, she prepared three beautiful, flavorful meals from scratch every day, for up to 30 people.
From versatile breakfast options, such as Sweet Corn and Jalapeno Pancakes or Pan Roasted Honey Pears with Oatmeal, to one-bowl salads and mains, stovetop meals such as Pan-Fried Red Snapper with Fresh Peas, Shiitakes, and Asparagus with Dill, dishes that can be prepared in the toaster oven (for cooks without a full oven) such as Cheese-Stuffed Meatballs with Fresh Tomato Sauce and Fettuccini, and even make-ahead desserts in a mug, every recipe is delicious and utterly attainable in a kitchen with as little as six square feet of counter space. Along with gorgeous recipes, Mahle delivers tips and techniques for making the most of a small kitchen. Strategies such as "shopping" the pantry before going to the store, transforming leftovers into new meals, create vertical storage options, and buy utensils that nest all help create meals with maximum flavor in minimal space.
Making marvelous meals in a small kitchen can be easier than you think. You just need a well-organized space, a little creativity, and recipes that don't require specialized equipment, big appliances, or lots of dishes.
From flavorful soups and salads to steaks, stews, one-pan pastas, and even trifles and parfaits, Annie Mahle's delightful recipes reveal big possibilities for small-space cooking.
