Audrey Hepburn's son recalls mom's life, kitchen in new book

NEW YORK (AP):

Think of Audrey Hepburn, and your mind will likely conjure up an extraordinarily elegant woman in a boat-necked black dress, huge sunglasses, gloves to the elbow, and a chic updo.

It's doubtful you'll picture a woman in jeans and T-shirt settling down in front of the TV with a plate of penne and ketchup.

But that's the image that her son, Luca Dotti, wants you to get to know. In Audrey at Home, an inviting cookbook filled with intimate family photos and memories, he paints a picture of a woman who was happier at home than on a movie set or, really, anywhere else, even though the press, he says, had a hard time believing that.

"Yes, she was an international star, but she was Mrs Dotti to me," says Dotti, a Rome-based graphic designer who is the son of Hepburn and her second husband, Andrea Dotti. "And she loved her home life the most. I wanted to bring these two worlds together, the public perception of her, and the woman that I knew."

The inspiration for the book came, Dotti says, from a binder he found in his mother's kitchen, filled with recipes and little notes.

But what of that penne with ketchup?

"It sounds terrible, but actually it's pretty good!" Dotti says. "We ate it when it was just the two of us, in front of the TV." His recipe calls for penne, extra-virgin olive oil, emmentaler cheese - and some Heinz ketchup.

"This is a son writing about someone who was more of a wife and a mother than a celebrity," he says.

Dotti suggests serving the dish over mashed potatoes or - more traditionally - polenta.

Start to finish: 30 minutes

3tbs plus 1tsp unsalted butter

1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil

2 medium white onions, peeled and finely chopped

1 pinch sugar

1 pound calf's liver, thinly sliced

Splash sherry vinegar or lemon juice (optional)

Servings: 4

Method

1. In a large skillet over very low heat, melt the butter with the oil. Add the onions and gently cook until translucent, but not browned. It will take about 15 minutes. Once they are ready, add a pinch of sugar and stir until they are caramelised, about another five minutes.

2. Heat another skillet over high heat. Transfer the caramelised onions and then the liver to the second skillet, stir for a few minutes until the meat is seared but still juicy. If you like extra acidity, add a splash of vinegar or lemon juice and stir, scraping the bits at the bottom of the pan, and serve.