#019

"PINCHE PUTTANESCA!"
LAST NIGHT, MY FRIEND ANTHONY AND I VISITED CHEF WON KIM IN THE OPULENCE OF HIS LINCOLN PARK KITCHEN.

THERE WERE ABOUT 15 OF US TOTAL, IT WAS A LITTLE TIGHT, BUT IT WAS FUN.

WON STARTED THE EVENING WITH A BRIEF TALK ABOUT ALL THE DIFFERENT INGREDIENTS WE WOULD BE WORKING WITH AND TASTING THAT EVENING. THEN HE MOVED ON TO SHOW US HOW TO PREPARE THE MEAL WE WOULD BE SHARING.

WE GOT HOOKED UP WITH A FEW DIFFERENT TASTES OVER THE TWO OR THREE HOURS WE WERE THERE. CHEF HAD A COUPLE OF HOMIES SHUCKIN' BLUE POINT AND KUMOMOTO'S TO GET US STARTED. OYSTERS WERE SERVED WITH 3 ACCOMPANYING SAUCES. THE STANDARD COCKTAIL WITH A LEMON SQUEEZE WAS MY #1 PICK IN THE DRAFT. THE "KITCHEN SINK" MIGNONETTE WASN'T BAD EITHER.

ONCE EVERYBODY GOT A GOOD OYSTER BUZZ GOING, WE MOVED ONTO BIGGER THINGS.

NEXT UP, WON THREW DOWN WITH A QUICK-FIRE FISH FRY. IT WAS LIKE WATCHING A LIGHTNING STORM IN THE KITCHEN. HE HAD THE FISH UP IN 4 MINUTES. WE WOLFED THAT DOWN, SIPPED SOME PAIRED SIZZZURBS, AND IT WAS ONTO THE NEXT ONE.

NOW, I DON'T HAVE THE TIME TO REGALE YOU WITH THE ENTIRE NARRATIVE OF OUR AMAZING EVENING, BASTING IN THE GLORY OF WON'S FOOD. SO, I'M GONNA CUT TO THE PINCHE PUTTANESCA.

OF ALL THE THINGS I SAMPLED WITH WON & CO., LAST NIGHT, THE TASTE THAT LEFT THE GREATEST IMPRESSION ON ME WAS HIS PUTTANESCA SAUCE. SO, I HAVE DECIDED TO SHARE A TAKE ON THE CLASSIC IN THIS HERE BLOGGING.

YOU'RE ACTIN' KINDA' SAUCY TODAY.

THE HISTORY OF PUTTANESCA IS BLURRY. THERE ISN'T MUCH PROOF OR PRINT TO POINT TO AN EXACT TIME OR PLACE. BUT, WHAT WE DO KNOW IS THAT SUGO ALLA PUTTANESCA, LITERALLY TRANSLATES TO "A WHORE'S SAUCE." OOOOKAY. MOVING ON.

MOST RESEARCH STATES THE SAUCE STARTED GAINING STREET CRED BETWEEN THE 1950-60'S. YET, SOME SAY THAT THEY HAVE NONNA'S WHO SWEAR THE DISH GOES BACK MORE THAN 90 YEARS. 

ONE ACCOUNT SAYS THE SAUCE ORIGINATED FROM AN ISCHIAN KITCHEN AT THE HANDS OF SANDRO PETTI, THE CO-OWNER OF RANCIO FELLONE.

SANDRO PETTI

SALUTE SANDRO!!

I'M GONNA GIVE YOU GUYS THIS ONE THE WAY I LIKE TO KEEP MY SAVORY RECIPES. SIMPLE.

SUGO ALLA PUTTANESCA

TOMATO

TOMATO PASTE

OLIVE OIL

GARLIC

ONION

OLIVES

ANCHOVIES

CAPERS

CHILI

HERBS

WHITE WINE(OPTIONAL)

COOKIN' AT THE WHORE HOUSE

*NOTE: WORKING IN THIS WAY IS NOT FOR NOVICE COOKS. IF YOU DON'T HAVE THE PRE-REQUISITES FOR THE ADVANCED CLASS, YOU WILL HAVE TO PASS/TEST OUT OF KITCHEN GEN ED. NINJAS MAY PROCEED TO THE METHOD.

THE METHOD

BRING A STURDY POT. IF YOU HAVE A LE CREUSET OR ONE OF THEM NICE COPPER JOINTS... BALL LIKE ME.

ALRIGHT. GET THE POT ON MEDIUM HEAT. ONCE IT'S GOOD AND HEATED, ADD SOME OIL. NOW THE ONION, GARLIC AND CHILI. SWEAT THIS OUT TIL YOU GET THAT GOOD SOFFRITO GOING. HIGHLY AROMATIC. ALMOST SEDUCTIVE.

NEXT. ANCHOVIES, CAPERS, OLIVES. NOW. WHEN I SHARE A RECIPE IN THIS WAY, AND I START IT OFF WITH A DISCLAIMER TO BEGINNERS... I HOPE THAT YOU ARE NOT READING THIS AND CONSIDERING THROWING ENTIRE OLIVES OR WHOLE HEADS OF GARLIC INTO YOUR SAUCE. THAT BEING SAID, LET'S CONTINUE.

WITH THE ONION AND THE WHAT HAVE YOU IN THE PAN, THINGS SHOULD BE SMELLING PRETTY, PRETTY GOOD. NOW, TOMATO PASTE. I LIKE TO ADD IT AT THIS STAGE SO THAT IT COATS ALL THE DELICIOUS BITS IN THE PAN AND BUILDS EVEN GREATER FLAVOR AS IT CARAMELIZES.

SOOOO. NOW THE TOMATOES. I PREFER SAN MARZANOS. I BUY THEM WHOLE & CANNED, AND CRUSH THEM BY HAND. MAYBE ONE YEAR MARIE AND I WILL GO TO ITALY AND PRESERVE SOME FOR OURSELVES AT THE SOURCE.

MT.VESUVIUS

IF YOU'RE USING WHITE WINE, POP THAT BOTTLE, POUR SOME FOR YOURSELF, DEGLAZE THE TOMATO PASTE AND ALL THE GOODNESS IN THE SAUCE POT, BRING THE CRUSHED TOMATOES, GET EVERYTHING INCORPORATED, BRING IT ALL TO A GENTLE SIMMER AND LET IT GO FOR ABOUT AN HOUR. REMEMBER TO STIR EVERY SO OFTEN TO AVOID BURNING THE BOTTOM.

WHEN THE SAUCE IS DONE, YOU CAN APPLY IT TO A WIDE VARIETY OF DISHES. THIS SUGO IS TRADITIONALLY SERVED ON TOP OF, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, SPAGHETTI.

CIAO.

-PETE