Spicy Berry Wings

I loved to cook with fruit, it can be sweet or savory or both. It also gives an un-expected twist to a dish. When we hold our dinner parties here in NYC or our "Candle Light Suppers" at the cabin (hmm who is Hyacinth), I always try to have a dish or two with some type of fruit in it.

The recipe below is one of many i have using fruit; this one is based on the classic buffalo wing recipe and then i take it in an new direction with the berries.

Classic Buffalo Wing Sauce

The base of the wing sauce is butter and hot sauce in a ratio to make mild, medium or hot.

Medium Sauce

2 cup of melted butter
2 cup of Louisiana hot sauce
3 table spoons minced Garlic
1/4 cup cider vinegar
1 teaspoons of salt
3 table spoons dried onion flakes
1 table spoon ground black pepper

Directions
Combine all together in a blender - place in a sealed jar until ready to use, simple.

To make mild, increase butter by 1 a cup and reduce the hot sauce by 1 cup

To make hot, increase hot sauce by 1 cup and reduce butter by 1 cup.


My basic Buffalo sauce I also add;

2 teaspoon of fresh ground ginger
1 minced jalapeno
3 teaspoons of ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1 teaspoon of dried red pepper flakes


Spicy Berry Wings

Ingredients
36 Chicken wings - cut at the joint and the tips discarded
3 teaspoons minced garlic
1 teaspoon minced ginger
1 minced jalapeno
1 cup of raw honey
4 cups of berries - mixed or a single berry - i usually use raspberries and black berries
2 cups melted butter
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1/4 cup sherry vinegar
2 teaspoons salt
3 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground coriander
2 teaspoons ground black pepper
1 teaspoon ground mustard
1/4 to 1/2 cup of Louisiana Hot Sauce- depends on how hot you want it - actually i use 1 cup most of the time

Directions

Now we do not have a fryer so I use the broiler to cook the wings.
Pre-heat broiler or fire up the grill

In a large bowl place wings, 1 teaspoon of salt and pepper and all of the dried thyme, toss to coat and set aside

In a blender place the butter, garlic, ginger, jalapeno, and pulse to mix.
Now add the vinegar, hot sauce, honey and dried spices, pulse to mix.
Next add the berries and set the blender on high to puree.
Place the wings on a broiler rack single layer or on the grill, cook for about 10 minutes on each side or until the wings are crispy.
Just about when the wings are done place 1/4 cup of the sauce in either a large bowl or a large tub or container with a lid.
Once wings are done, take a quarter of the wings place either in the bowl and toss to coat or in the container with a lid and shake. REMOVE wings with tongs and repeat the process - do not dump the wings out, the hot wings will draw in the sauce but if you like really saucy wings dump them out.

Another way of cooking the wings:

Glazed - but not as crispy

Pre-heat the oven to 400 degrees
Place the wings on a drip rack in a single layer and then place rack on a cookie sheet
Bake of wings for about 20 minutes turning the wings over at the 10 minute mark. remove wings from oven and set aside.
In a large skillet over medium high heat place 1/4 cup of the sauce in the pan and a quarter of the wings.
Stir wings in skillet until sauce begins to thicken and creates a glaze on the wings. Remove wings from skillet and repeat until all wings are coated.

All ways are good it just depends on hot or crispy you like your wings.

The extra sauce will keep in the fridge for about a month.

Note: i have tried this with Blueberries and strawberries and it is not as good. I do have a Blueberry BBQ sauce that is great. I will post that soon.

Enjoy cooking