Since the beginning of this year, I have been cooking at least a couple times a week for 3 big, tall boys of Midwestern stock, the Man included. While the Man and I have fairly adventurous palates, our regular dinner companions are, by their own admission, far less likely to try more exotic cuisines and dishes such as those that aren’t pizza, hot dogs, hamburgers, lasagna, ribs, meatloaf, gringo Mexican and guai lo Chinese.
And while I like to mix it up from meal to meal, every cook knows the pang of apologetic disappointment you get when your dinner guests don’t enjoy their food, no matter how well executed, because their palates are revolting to being dragged out of their comfort zones. (Not that I haven’t made some duds in my day, mind you…)
Despite some regional variation, there is a common thread that runs through Dude Food - it’s gotta have meat and/or grease (preferably both), it can’t have fresh produce in it, and it has to appeal to the tastebuds of a 5th grade boy. I consider it a specially good day in the kitchen when I make a successful Dude Dish while managing to sneak in a little something else that’s fresh, healthy, and surprisingly delicious to unsuspecting manpalates.
These Sticky, Tangy, Spicy Wings paired with some Crunchy Soy Slaw (and served with steamed rice) are a good way to sneak roughage into the gullet of even the uberpickiest dudes while still giving them their Dude Food fix.
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| Schticky, Tangy, & as Spicy as you like... |
FYI, casual as chicken wings are, this is not a good weeknight dinner for those who work away from home as it takes anywhere from 1.5 to 2 hours to make it.
STICKY, TANGY, SPICY WINGS
Serves 5-6 as part of a meal with a starch and vegetable side
- 12 wings cut into 24 drummettes and wingettes (Yes, that’s what they’re called. I looked it up.)
- Salt & Pepper
- 2 cups oil for frying (I prefer canola or vegetable)
- 1/4 cup + 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- 1/4 cup jam (I used peach, but strawberry, apricot, or marmalade would work)
- 1/8 cup + 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1/2 cup finely chopped shallots
- 2 Tablespoons sriracha
- 2 Tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 3 Tablespoons minced garlic
- 1 Tablespoons oil
- Red chili flakes for extra heat *optional (If you think you don't have this stuff on hand, don't forget to check that fast food/delivery condiment stash in your drawer or fridge. You probably got some with your last pizza delivery.)
- 1 or 2 green onions, chopped, for garnish and flavor
Chicken Steps
1) Season chicken with salt and pepper to taste and let it come up to room temp before frying. While the chicken is absorbing the seasoning and coming up to room temp (at least a good 30 minutes), make the glaze. If you’re making the full menu, this is also a good time to prep the cabbage for the slaw.
2) Heat 2 cups oil in large pot (I like to use a deep pot like a Dutch oven so oil doesn’t fly all over the stove.) over medium-high heat until it’s hot enough that a pinch of flour will sizzle and bubble when you throw it in. Food should sizzle when you’re frying, and if it doesn’t sizzle as soon as it hits the oil, take it out and wait a couple more minutes.
3) Pat the chicken dry and fry 4 or 5 pieces at a time, keeping drumettes and wingettes in separate batches. Drumettes should be fried on 3 sides, 3.5 to 4 minutes each side. Wingettes should be fried on 2 sides, 5 to 7 minutes each side. (Until they get a dark golden brown.) Place fried chicken on a double layer of paper towels or a large paper grocery bag to absorb the excess frying oil.
4) When you’re halfway through the frying, preheat the oven to 425. You’ll want to reheat and crisp up the chicken a bit right before glazing.
5) 10 minutes before serving, re-heat the chicken in an oven safe dish, IN A SINGLE LAYER, for 10 minutes. Metal is better than glass in this case.
6) After re-heating, put chicken into a large mixing bowl and pour the glaze over. Toss or stir to coat and transfer to serving dish. Sprinkle chopped green onions right before serving.
Glaze Steps
1) In a small pot, heat 1 tablespoon oil on medium high and sautee shallots until they’re translucent and some bits are golden brown.
2) Add brown sugar and jam and stir until brown sugar is melted through.
3) Bring heat down to medium low and stir in soy sauce, sriracha and vinegar until all ingredients are well mixed. Simmer for 2 to 3 minutes. This is a good time to taste for spice level. If you want more heat, add a pinch or 2 of red chili flakes.
4) Add in garlic and simmer another 2 to 3 minutes until the glaze is the consistency of thick syrup.
5) Let glaze cool to room temperature before glazing the chicken.
CRUNCHY SOY SLAW
Serves 6
Giving the cabbage a quick toss with a cup of ice water makes it extra crunchy. Just remember to drain it well (and even pat it dry with a clean kitchen towel) before dressing.
- 6 cups very thinly sliced cabbage (about 1/2 a medium head)
- 1 or 2 green onions, chopped (including white part)
- 7 to 10 stems cilantro, chopped
- 1/2 Tablespoon minced garlic (a very small clove)
- 1+1/2 Tablespoons sugar
- 1+1/2 Tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 2 Tablespoons soy sauce
- 1 Tablespoons oil (canola or light olive, not EVOO)
Combine all ingredients in large mixing bowl and toss thoroughly until seasoning is evenly distributed through cabbage.
By the way, a frosty cold lager goes great with this meal.
Now if I could just get them white boys to stop drowning their rice in soy sauce...
shinae
P.S. The Man will have you know he is *NOT* the guai lo who drowns his rice in soy sauce.
P.S. The Man will have you know he is *NOT* the guai lo who drowns his rice in soy sauce.
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