Spicy Winter Putanesca Sauce

When you add vegis to the oil you want to hear "Tsssss"

Brown the vegis slightly

Last night we were getting kinda hungry so I opened the fridge to see what was inside.  I love doing that, not knowing what I am going to make but using my 20 years of cranking out killer grub for the masses.  I have worked in something like 27 restaurants in my life.  Starting in Boulder Colorado and ending up here in Spain.  It's kinda like your an artist.  First you learn all the techniques, then what mediums to use and then you create your own art with all that you have learned.  It's the same with a chef, you learn how to cut, slice, dice, chop, pick, clean, saute, bake, fry, steam... Then you learn the different mediums vegetables, fish, meat, dairy, fruits, spices and herbs.  You work under great chefs, good chefs, not so good chefs and learn from mothers and friends.  Going out to restaurants your always looking to see what new technique or presentation ideas you can use in the future or what not to do or use.  Reading as many cookbooks as you can just to increase your knowledge of cooking. And then one day you start developing your own style and your very own creations because you have this strong diverse foundation to stand on.

Reduce the sauce

Whoa, sorry about that got off on a tangent there. As I was saying,  in the fridge was just a bunch of vegis and I had some tasty whole wheat penne pasta.  So I thought I would make some kinda pasta sauce.  As it was progressing I wasn't quite sure where I was going to end up but to our
amazement we wound up in heaven.  I don't
normally say this about my food but this was one of the best pastas I have ever eaten!

One of the best pastas I have ever eaten!

Spicy Winter Putanesca Sauce

by Jeff Harter

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 1 hour

Keywords: saute appetizer entree side gluten-free low-carb nut-free soy-free sugar-free Mediterranean fall winter

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Deep robust flavors makes this pasta sauce a winter miracle. It can be used with any pasta of your choice. However, I made it with a whole wheat penne pasta with just a sprinkle of some parm. This mean sauce is packed full of anti-cancer vegetables. Tomatoes and peppers are rich in lycopene that may help to prevent various forms of cancer. Onions, garlic, shallots, cabbage all help with the fight in beating cancer.

Ingredients (serves 4)

• 4 tbsp olive oil
• 2 yellow onions diced
• 8 large mushrooms sliced
• 1 medium carrot diced
• 1 red bell pepper diced
• 1/2 cup butternut squash diced
• 1 med. eggplant diced
• 1 med. zucchini diced
• 2 shallots minced
• 2 garlic cloves minced
• 1 tbsp cumin
• 1 tbsp curcuma
• ½ tbsp. sweet paprika
• ½ tbsp. hot paprika
• 1 tbsp oregano
• 1 bay leaf
• ¼ head of Chinese lettuce
• 1 large tomato diced
• 8 spanish anchovies chopped
• ½ cup red wine
• ½ cup vegi broth
• Salt and pepper
• 1/4 cup fresh parsley minced

Instructions

• Place large deep saute pan over medium heat and heat for 3 mins.
• Then add the olive oil and heat for 2 mins.
• Then add onions, mushrooms and red peppers and cook for 5 mins stirring frequently as with the rest of the ingredients.
• Then add butternut squash, eggplant and zucchini and cook for 10 mins.
• Then add shallots, garlic and all of the spices and herbs and cook for 5 mins.
• Next add cabbage, tomato and anchovies and cook 5 mins.
• Add red wine and cook for 5 mins
• Finally add vegi broth, salt and pepper and cook for 1/2 hour moving with a wooden spoon often.
• Right before serving add parsley.
• This can be used with pasta or sorta like a ratatouille as a side dish. It also could be put in rice like for a paella or add more vegi stock and serve as a soup.
• Enjoy!