Dip-Included Buffalo Wings

By Addie

Foodfighter, a Buffalo native, knows wings. When we said we were open to the best version of a traditional favorite, a recipe like this one was what we were driving at. The glaze -- butter, hot sauce, honey and a spritz of lemon -- is classic and perfectly proportioned, and the technique of smearing the wings with a blue cheese "dip" before coating them in flour and cornstarch is sheer brilliance. With every bite, you get tangy heat, a satisfying crunch, tender meat and a seductive hint of blue cheese. Trust us: even your non cheese-eating friends will happily tuck into these.

Ingredients

• DIP:
• .....................................................
• 4 4 4 ounces strong bleu cheese
• 2 2 2 ounces cream cheese
• 2 2 2 ounces sour cream
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• 2 2 2 pounds chicken wings
• 4 4 4 tablespoons Corn Starch
• 2 2 2 tablespoons All Purpose Flour
• 1 1 1 teaspoon Pepper
• 1 1 1 teaspoon Salt
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• SAUCE:
• 1/2 1/2 1/2 cups Franks Red Hot Sauce
• 4 4 4 tablespoons Butter
• 2 2 2 tablespoons Honey
• to juice, to taste

Preparation

Step 1

1. Combine cheese and sour cream in Food Processor or Mini Prep and process to smooth spread/puree.

2. Combine Corn Starch, Flour, Salt and Pepper in a shallow dish. Thoroughly dry wings using paper towels. Cover the skin/meat of each wing with a thin layer of the bleu cheese spread. Then dredge each with in the Corn Starch Mixture, making sure each wing is well covered. Refrigerate for about 30 minutes.

3. Bring 2-3 quarts of peanut oil to 365 degrees in a heavy pot (I use a enameled dutch oven). Fry wings in 1 pound batches for about 15 minutes until crispy. For each batch, to cooling rack over newspaper in a sheet pan.

4. Melt butter, stir in hot sauce, honey and lemon juice. Add ground cayenne or more Frank's Red Hot Sauce to taste. Place wings in a wide mouth bowl and pour sauce over the top. Shake bowl gently to distribute sauce.