LAZY DOG CHICKEN WINGS
Fresh chicken wings
Vegetable oil
Salt, black pepper
Red chile flakes, optional
Thai Red Chile Sauce (see recipe)
Carrot sticks, for serving
Pickled Celery Sticks (see recipe)
Up to 2 days before the party, toss the wings in a little vegetable oil to coat. Sprinkle with salt and pepper (or chile flakes if you want to really make it hot). Refrigerate covered.
Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Place wings in a single layer on rimmed cookie sheets or baking pans. Add 1 cup water to each sheet pan. Cover with foil, crimping edges to create a seal.
Bake for 30 minutes. Remove foil and leave wings in oven for another 30 minutes, which will finish cooking the meat and make the wings tender enough to fall off the bone.
Let wings cool for 30 minutes. Drain juice and grease. Wrap wings with plastic wrap, if you are making them ahead. From this point, it will take 10 minutes to finish the wings and you can reheat them in batches (one sheet pan at a time).
Preheat your oven to 450 degrees. Place wings, still in a single layer, in the oven for 10 minutes to heat through and make the skin crispy. Set a timer and watch carefully to avoid burning.
Serve with your favorite condiments — such as Frank’s Red Hot Buffalo Sauce, teriyaki or barbecue sauce, blue cheese or ranch dressing, or homemade Thai Red Chile Sauce, carrot sticks and pickled celery.
THAI RED CHILE SAUCE
Note: This sauce can be made 3 days ahead.
1 cup sambal chile paste or 1 cup Sriracha plus 1 tablespoon red chile flakes
1 cup white wine vinegar
1 cup sugar
1 tablespoon garlic, finely chopped
1 tablespoon ginger, finely chopped
2 tablespoons green onions, chopped
In a medium saucepan, bring the sambal, vinegar and sugar to a boil. Reduce heat, add ginger and garlic, and simmer for 2 minutes. Cool completely in refrigerator. Stir in green onions before serving.
PICKLED CELERY STICKS
Note: This sauce can be made a week ahead.
2 bunches celery, cleaned and cut into 4-inch sticks.
1 1/2 cups white wine vinegar
1 1/2 cups water
3 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons salt
1 teaspoon red chile flakes
1 tablespoon whole mustard seeds
1 teaspoon whole black peppercorns
1 teaspoon celery salt
Place your cut celery into a glass or nonporous casserole dish.
In a medium saucepan, bring all the other ingredients to a boil. Turn off heat; allow to sit for 5 minutes.
Pour the hot brine over the celery. Let cool 15 minutes at room temperature. Cover and refrigerate for at least 24 hours before serving.
Drain the pickles and serve them in small Mason jars spread out around the table.
– Gabe Caliendo, chef, Lazy Dog
