By LAURA GROSS-HIGGINS
Many people would prefer to have their meat or poultry without bones. That is not the case with me. At Thanksgiving, when the turkey is set out on a serving plate, I often find myself looking for the wing to eat. That goes for chicken, too. I grew up in a family that loved getting every last bit of meat from a bone. I like chicken wings and, fortunately, my husband and daughter do, too.
Chicken wings can be barbecued, made a la Buffalo with hot sauce and bleu cheese. Some recipes just take the drumette part of the wing, and the cook, by loosening the meat from the center bone, makes it more of a lollipop shape.
Whatever the cultural source, there are recipes that give wings center stage. And why not? When going to a party or potluck, wings can be finger food, depending on the type of preparation.
Rather than offer recipes for barbecued chicken or Buffalo wings, I would like to share some Asian recipes that are less common. One I got from a dim sum cookbook that I own, which features a Chinese curry with potatoes. Because its sauce is somewhat thin, you may have to eat this initially from a bowl, then tackle the wings with your hands.
The second recipe, also Chinese, is for chicken wings in oyster sauce. It, too, has a sauce that can be eaten long after the wings are gone. What I found also is that this recipe for oyster sauce wings works well with chicken mushrooms (Laetiporus sulphureus). So if you are familiar with that variety of mushroom, you can cook it that way.
The third recipe is Thai, one that I found on the Internet. It has a peanut sauce, and I have used its technique and sauce for chicken thighs. My family has enjoyed having it both ways.
These recipes may be a little messy, but they are worth eating. You may want to have extra napkins on hand. So bon (or should I say bone) appétit, and here’s to winging it, Asian-style.
Curried Chicken Wings
(adapted from “Dim Sum” by Rhoda Yee)
Makes 4 dinner servings
10 chicken wings
2 Yukon Gold potatoes
1 medium yellow onion
1 clove of garlic, crushed by knife
1 chunk crushed ginger (size of quarter)
2 TBSP oil
1 tsp salt
1 TBSP curry powder
1 TBSP sugar
2 TBSP sherry
1/2 c chicken broth
2 TBSP oyster sauce
1 TBSP catsup
2 stalks green onions, cut into 1-inch lengths
Cut off wing tips and save for stock. Cut the wings into two separate pieces. Set aside.
Peel the potatoes and cut into 2-inch pieces and keep in cool water in bowl. Slice the onion into wedges.
Heat the oil in a heavy-bottomed pot. Add the onion, garlic and chicken wings and cook for four minutes. Add the rest of the ingredients except for the green onions. Bring to a boil and simmer for 1/2 hour on low heat. Add the scallions in the last five minutes.
Do-ahead notes: Cook early in the day; the chicken and potatoes taste better after they have sat several hours in the sauce. It’s great the next day.
Crispy Baked Thai Chicken Wings
with Peanut Sauce
(adapted from www.justataste.com)
Makes 4 to 6 servings
Chicken:
2.5 lbs chicken wings, drumettes and flats separated, with tips removed
2 tsp vegetable oil
1 tsp sesame oil
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
Peanut Sauce:
2/3 c chunky peanut butter
1/4 c hot water
1 tsp grated fresh ginger
1 TBSP fresh lime juice (I have used rice vinegar instead)
1 tsp fish sauce
1 TBSP low sodium soy sauce
1 TBSP honey
1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes (or to taste)
(optional: 1 pressed clove of garlic)
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Rinse the wings and drumettes, pat them dry and transfer to a large bowl. Toss the wings with the vegetable oil, sesame oil, salt and pepper. Put the wings on a baking rack on top of a foil-lined baking sheet, spreading them in a single layer so they aren’t touching.
Bake them, rotating the pan halfway through, until they are fully cooked, 45 to 50 minutes. While the wings are baking, prepare the sauce.
Sauce preparation:
In a medium-size bowl, whisk together all sauce ingredients. Taste and season with salt, pepper and additional crushed red pepper flakes if desired. (You can zap the sauce for one minute in the microwave at this point.)
Depending on the type of peanut butter used, you may need to thin the sauce with more hot water. If the sauce is too thick, add 1 more TBSP of hot water at a time until it reaches the desired consistency.
Chicken Wings in Oyster Sauce
(from “1001 Oriental Recipes”)
Makes 4 servings
3 TBSP oil
2 cloves garlic, crushed (not pressed)
8 chicken wings, each divided into 3 parts
2 TBSP soy sauce
3 TBSP oyster sauce (can substitute ketchup for one of the tablespoons)
1 TBSP sugar
1/2 c water
Preheat wok. Coat bottom and sides with oil (put oil in and swirl around to coat sides).
Rub bottom and sides with garlic; discard garlic. Add middles and tips of wings; brown on all sides. Add the rest of the wing pieces and brown.
Mix together soy sauce and oyster sauce; stir into chicken.
Stir in sugar and water. Cover wok; cook over medium-low heat for 15 minutes.