‘Dirty’ wings clean up nicely
The title of the cookbook Dirty Food doesn’t reveal the easygoing pleasures in the 37 comfort-food recipes.
Calgary author Julie Van Rosendaal turns away from what she considers a trend of reducing the pleasures of eating with restrictive diets and tidy plates.
Her new book, the first in a series of small books she plans to self-publish for $19.95, includes such messy recipes as sauce-drizzled fried potatoes, pork ribs laden with barbecue sauce, tacos dripping with a green garlic sauce and these crisp and juicy chicken wings.
Van Rosendaal, who is heard weekly on CBC Radio’s Calgary Eyeopener and writes for the Globe and Mail, advises offering plenty of paper napkins.
Not all of her cuisine is sauced up: many recipes include a “crispy bit” suggesting crumbly or crunchy additions.
Desserts, such as fruit crumble and Eton mess, are equally simple to prepare.
FINGER-LICKIN’ WINGS
Serves: 6
3 to 4 lbs (1.5 to 2 kg) chicken wings
Canola or olive oil Buffalo sauce (see below) Hot garlic honey sauce (see below)
1. Preheat oven to 425 F (220 C). Line a large rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil or parchment paper.
Set a wire rack on the lined sheet; this allows heat to circulate around the chicken as it roasts.
2. Pat chicken wings dry with paper towels. Drizzle with oil, turning to coat all sides. Arrange in a single layer on the rack. Roast in preheated oven for 30 minutes or until cooked through and turning golden.
3. Remove from oven and discard any fat drippings on baking sheet.
4. At this point, wings can stand or can be placed in the refrigerator until you’re ready to add sauce.
5. Immerse half the wings in Buffalo sauce and half in hot garlic honey sauce. Arrange wings on the rack again and return to the preheated oven for another 10-15 minutes, until the skins are crisp and the sauce has caramelized.
Buffalo sauce: In a bowl, combine 1/3 cup (80 ml) melted butter with 1/3 cup (80 ml) hot sauce.
Hot garlic honey sauce:
In a bowl, combine 1/2 cup (125 ml) honey, 1/4 cup
(60 ml) soy sauce, 2 to 3 cloves of crushed garlic and chili flakes to taste
(1/4 to 1/2 tsp/1 to 2.5 ml is suggested).
Option: Finish wings by browning them in a preheated broiler for 2-3 minutes to char the edges, being careful not to burn the chicken.