ADOBO HOT WINGS

Oven fried, tender-crispy chicken wings with an addictive blast of that unmistakable tangy, sweet heat of Filipino Adobo kicked up to new levels of fiery frizzle sizzle.

 
I'm having so much fun exploring the Filipino part of my heritage.  (Thanks Dad!)  Now, I just can't understand what took me so long to catch onto the delectably unique layering of flavours that so many traditional dishes from the Philippines are known for.  Flavours that like to reach out and hit you right in the kisser. Pow!

So when I came across the Burnt Lumpia food blog and Marvin's Adobo-style, glazed hot wings my mouth started to water imagining those outspoken flavours jumping up and down on my eager taste buds.  I've tried chicken thighs, pork and beef Adobo.  Yum, yum.  But, Adobo wings.....brilliant!!!  I anticipated a match made in heaven.  I was right! 

Chicken wings are a hot commodity at our house.  We all love them.  Usually we deep fry them to crispy, crunchiness.  But yesterday, with heaps of snow piling up outside and me just wanting to snuggle into the couch with an old movie and not fry......baked it had to be.  I've got to say, though not quite the same crispness as fried (nothing is) I've tinkered enough with baking these babies that 'oven-fried' goodness has become a most worthy opponent for 'deep-fried' yumminess.  Hallelujah!

The baked wings and the Adobo-style glaze took to each other like strawberries and cream.  Only hotter!  Like love-ravaged strawberries and cream.  HACHEEWAWA!.

I couldn't help it!  I couldn't help putting 2 1/2 of those cute, little, bright orange habanero peppers into the glaze.  We do like things spicy at our house.  And we got the hotness factor just right on these.  They were let-all-the-flavours-shine-big-smile-nice-hot.  Not fan-your-mouth-with-your-hand-stupid hot.

As you're probably surmising, this Adobo glaze is more boldly untraditional, while staying true to the depth of flavours we know and love. I did wander from Burn't Lumpia's recipe in quest of twirling our likes into this fantastic (thanks oodles Marvin!) 'base' recipe.  That worked.  Tantalizingly so!  And, who woulda' thunk, but the spicy-sweet tanginess of these wings is happy, happy dipped into cool, creamy blue cheese dressing.  Kismet all over the place.

Something tells me that you're going to love adventuring into the flavours of my Filipino heritage too.  

 

OVEN-FRIED FILIPINO ADOBO-STYLE HOT WINGS

2 tablespoons butter
4 cloves of garlic, minced
2-3 habanero chili peppers, minced (now go wash your hands so you don't get juice-of-hot where it doesn't belong!)
1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
1/4 cup soy sauce (I used dark)
2 heaping tablespoons brown sugar
3/4 - 1 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper

2 pounds chicken wings, tips removed
2 tablespoons butter, melted
2 tablespoons peanut, corn, vegetable or canola oil
1 heaping teaspoon granulated garlic powder
1 teaspoon Kosher or sea salt
3/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Heat a small pot over medium-high heat and add 2 tablespoons butter.  Once melted, add the garlic and habaneros.  Stir and sauté until the garlic is lightly golden and fragrant, 1-2 minutes.

Slowly add the apple cider vinegar, soy sauce, brown sugar and 3/4 to 1 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper to the pot.  Bring the sauce to a boil, reduce heat and let simmer for 10-15 minutes until sauce is reduced and thickens a bit.  Set aside.

Preheat oven to 400F degrees.  Very lightly oil a large rimmed baking sheet. Dry chicken wings with paper towels and place in large bowl.  In a cup mix melted butter, peanut oil, garlic powder, salt and 3/4 teaspoon black pepper.  Pour over wings in bowl, mix and massage seasoning mixture to coat the wings.  Lay wings out, not touching, on prepared baking sheet.

Bake wings 45-55 minutes until toasty brown and cooked through.  Place cooked wings in large bowl, drizzle with Adobo glaze, gently toss to coat evenly and serve up with some blue cheese dressing and frosty beer.  HA-CHA-CHA!