Sweet & Spicy Sesame Wings
For us, the month of May means barbecue season, and with long weekend celebrations this month in Canada, the States, and National Flag day here in Haiti, we thought it was time for chicken wings. We first started making this addictive wings recipe last year when an abundance of hot pepper jelly made it into the fresh produce boxes of our CSA. Paul created these Sweet & Spicy Sesame Wings with a pungent sesame, garlic and fresh ginger sauce that is a slam dunk recipe to add to your grilling repertoire this season.
Ingredients:
- 3 1/2 pounds chicken wings
- 5 tablespoons hot pepper jelly
- 1/3 cup soy sauce
- 3 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
- 3 tablespoons sesame oil
- 8 fresh garlic cloves, crushed
- 1/2 tablespoon fresh ginger, grated
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
Steps:
- Using a sharp knife, separate the chicken wings at the large joint by slicing through the soft cartilage, not the bones. Put the wing pieces into a gallon zip-top bag.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the marinade/sauce ingredients (hot pepper jelly, soy sauce, vinegar, sesame oil, garlic, ginger, and salt). Add the marinade mixture to the zip-top bag of chicken, seal the bag, and shake vigorously to distribute the marinade around the wings. Allow the wings to marinate for at least 2 hours (up to a day) in the refrigerator.
- Spread the wings (marinade discarded) onto your smoking racks and smoke at 220 degrees for 1 hour and 45 minutes. If using a water bath in the smoker, fill with 1 cup apple cider vinegar. I prefer hickory wood smoke for this recipe, with 1 large addition at the beginning of cooking. Do not turn or disturb the wings during smoking. If roasting in an oven, set temp to 220 degrees and place wings on a rack over a pan to catch the drippings. Fill the catch pan with 1 cup apple cider vinegar to provide flavor and moisture during cooking. Roast for 1 hour and 45 minutes. There is no need to turn the wings during cooking.
- After smoking/roasting, remove the wings and set aside. They can be eaten immediately, but we like them finished on the grill to crisp them up.
- To finish the wings, grill on medium heat for 1-2 minutes per side with the lid down. You are looking to give a smoky charred crust to the outside. Serve wings hot off the grill.
Slow Roasted Ginger Honey Pulled Pork
Since our last post, Rebecca and I have been in transition mode, moving back to our life here in Haiti from the US. With bags fully unpacked, two kids settled, and a week of work under our belts, it was time to celebrate this weekend. Meat in Haiti is free-range and very flavorful, but also tends to be quite tough. This lends itself to low and slow cooking. This Slow Roasted Ginger Honey Pulled pork is deeply flavored, and easy to make; perfect for weekend sandwiches under the mango tree after the kids are down for the night. It is good to be home again!
Smoked Wings with Rye Whiskey Peach Sauce
It is peach season in Western Pennsylvania, and nothing shouts summer like Smoked Wings with Rye Whiskey Peach Sauce. These wings are slow roasted to tender perfection with a rich pecan smoke flavor and finished on the grill to crisp the skin. Oak-aged spirits pair beautifully with peaches (see our Salted Rum Caramel with Grilled Peaches & Ice Cream), and we find that Wigle's Aged Rye Whiskey is the perfect foil to sweet summer peaches and smokey wings. This Carolina inspired barbecue sauce is quick, easy, and versatile -- delicious on everything from these wings to ribs to burgers.
Vietnamese Chicken Soup, Phở Gà
Food has the power to connect us to people and places around the world. In 2007, Rebecca and I spent three months traveling through South East Asia together. Leaving Cambodia on the back of moto-bikes, we arrived for the night, hot and dusty, in a small village in rural Vietnam. After dropping off our packs, we sat down on the rickety plastic stools of the town's only food stand, famished. Without asking what we wanted, two pungent bowls of Phở Gà, Vietnam's famous chicken noodle soup, were plunked down in front of us. We were hooked! As we made our way north over the next several weeks, we enjoyed many local variations of Phở: from the dark, rich, and beefy to bright and spicy with shrimp. Our favorite Phở, on which our recipe is based, was eaten from steaming bowls one early morning overlooking Hạ Long Bay. This version used chicken that had been marinated and grilled, rather than boiled in the soup, giving it a crispy texture and sweet charred flavor.
Each sip of flavorful broth reminds us also of the people and culture that created it. Phở is an aromatic and visual dish, one that we like to serve in our Vietnamese blue petal bowls made in the Kinh family workshop in the famous pottery village of Bat Trang, Vietnam. By partnering with a local non-profit and Ten Thousand Villages, women potters are able to make a living for their families, continue a rich cultural tradition, and gain access to tools, education, training, interest-free loans, and literacy classes. We buy many of our dishes and gifts from Ten Thousand Villages each year, and appreciate their commitment to ethical partnerships with local artisans around the world.
Thai Peanut Sauce Smoked Chicken Wings
Christmas in Indiana this year had as hankering for these Thai Peanut Smoked Chicken Wings. Given the challenges of finding both chicken wings and a smoker in Haiti, we couldn't pass up the opportunity to chow down on an old favorite while back in the US. This pungent Thai sauce is chock full of vibrant flavors, tangy lime, creamy peanut butter, garlic, and spicy jalapeno. For those without a home smoker, the recipe includes an easy adaptation for oven roasting.
Quick Thai Curry Drumsticks
Rebecca and I are coming up on 8 years of marriage. Crazy, I know. This week's sweltering and humid weather here in Haiti had me thinking back to our engagement in Thailand. In particular, I was remembering one late evening walk through a night market in Bangkok, snacking on delicious street foods as we talked about what a life together would look like. One stand was serving grilled chicken in an addictive, slightly sweet peanut curry sauce. Maybe it was just the romance of the moment, but that flavor combo has stuck with us, and it's one we find ourselves coming back to in the heat of summer. These Quick Thai Curry Drumsticks are simple, quick, and perfect for a hot summer evening.
