Tomato Sauce with Vermouth and Fennel Seeds

For this multi-purpose sauce, we pair a 6-ounce can of tomato paste with fennel seeds, ground coriander and red pepper flakes, all bloomed in olive oil. Browning the tomato paste and adding umami-packed anchovies enriches the sauce even further, while vermouth brings crisp, subtly bitter notes. This recipe yields enough sauce to dress 1 pound of pasta, but also is delicious on gnocchi or spooned over chicken cutlets or grilled, seared or sautéed fish fillets. Chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley or basil is a nice herbal flourish to dishes dressed with this sauce.