Chef Roger Mooking’s Chicken Wings

By TPMay

Ingredients

• 4 pounds wings (drumstick and legs separated, tips removed)
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 1/2-tablespoon kosher salt
• 1/2-tablespoon cracked black peppercorns
• Hot Wing Sauce
• 4 tablespoons butter
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 5 pieces lemongrass, smashed (bottoms only)
• 2/3 cup white onion, finely diced
• 4 medium-sized Scotch bonnet peppers, sliced very thin
• 5 jalapeño peppers, sliced very thin
• 1 teaspoon cumin, ground
• 1 teaspoon Szechuan peppercorns, cracked
• 1 teaspoon black peppercorns, ground
• 6 cloves garlic, sliced very thin
• 1 thumb ginger, finely julienned
• 5 key limes, cut into 8 pieces
• Cooked chicken wings (see above)
• 2/3 cup white balsamic vinegar
• 3 tablespoons honey
• 2 bunches basil, chopped rough
• 1/2-teaspoon fine lemon zest

Preparation

Step 1

Directions:
Preheat oven to 400°F.
Place wings on a parchment-lined tray and bake for 20 minutes. In the meantime, prepare the ingredients for the sauce below by cutting everything up and measuring for making the sauce. Directions:
n a wok or large heavy skillet, add vegetable oil and butter, immediately followed by onion and lemongrass. Allow to saute quickly for about 30 seconds, then add Scotch bonnets, jalapeño, cumin, Szechuan peppercorns and black pepper.
Sauté everything in the pan for another 2 minutes or until everything becomes fragrant without burning the ingredients in the pan. Add garlic, ginger, key limes and saute for 1 minute.
Add cooked chicken wings and toss till all mixed together. Deglaze with balsamic vinegar, then add honey and allow a glaze to coat the wings. To finish, add chopped basil and lemon zest. Combine all together and serve hot.