Hazy Shade Of Winter

Penne Rigate with Pan Fried Chorizo, Black Olives & Chilli

Hazy Shade of Winter

This dish is my favorite winter dish…. When the weather outside is cold, the wind howls and the rain sheets against your window there is nothing better than settling down on your couch with the one you love and consuming a massive bowl of this pasta.

I decided to name this dish after The Bangles 1987 cover of the Simon & Garfunkel original “Hazy Shade of Winter”. I know purists will kick my ass but I loved this version of the song more than the original and it remains one of my favorite covers.

But, it was also the opening song to the movie Less Than Zero, which is an awesome flick, but has nothing to do with the book.

I am a huge fan of Bret Easton Ellis, I have read every book he has ever written (some more than once!) and he ranks as one of the coolest people I have ever met.

The book casts a light on the excess of LA in the 80’s, a group of privileged college students with everything you could dream of at their fingertips but existing without a moral compass and an apathy to everything around them. 

Needless to say this book is one of my all time favorites!

In my mind it is an incredible literary work and even more so that Easton Ellis was 19 when he wrote it.

The film on the other hand has nothing to do with the book other than the title and the character names. For some reason it makes a statement about drug use and how it can lead to a life of homosexual prostitution.

But what it did do, was make Robert Downey Jnr. a huge star for which I am ever thankful! I like everyone else on the planet am a huge fan.

I did have a strange moment once with Mr Downey Jnr about 10 years ago.

I was looking on the net and found a picture of what I thought was me getting sentenced to jail… it ended up being a shot of him but as you can see it is pretty close.

Anyhow, hope you like this dish but more to the point…. Ready for the cheese bag joke… that there is Less Than Zero on your plate when you finish!

Penne Rigate with Pan Fried Chorizo, Black Olives & Chilli

Ingredients

4oog Penne Pasta

2 Large Chorizo Sausages

4 Birdseye Chillis

70 g Black Olives Pitted

½ Red Onion

2 Tins tomatoes

1 tbsp Dried Oregano

2 Cloves Garlic

100g Parmesan Cheese

50 ml Olive Oil

2 Tblsp Raw Brown Sugar

Salt

Pepper

Method

1. Heat half olive oil in large pan.
2. Cut Chorizo into small pieces and add to pan cooking until browned. Remove sausages and reserve.
3. Fine Dice Chillies, Onion and Garlic and Reserve
4. Place 2 tins tomatoes in large bowl and mash together
5. Use same pan as sausages were cooked in, add chillies, onion and garlic and cook over medium heat.
6. Add olives and cook for approx 2 minutes ensuring that the garlic and onion do not burn
7. Add tomatoes and bring to low simmer.
8. Add dried oregano, salt, pepper and sugar. Taste and season to balance.
9. Add Chorizo Sausages and stir dropping heat to low and simmering for 15 min.
10. Bring Saucepan of salted water to rolling boil.
11. Add Penne to water and cook.
12. Remove and drain pasta before al dente and add to pan.
13. Stir pasta through sauce and add Parmesan cheese. Cook until incorporated and pasta is al dente. Season.
14. Serve with drizzle of olive oil and shaved Parmesan cheese.