And now, something a little different…
People always assume that because I’m a pretty good baker that I’m also a good cook. Sadly, this is far from the truth. I think that the thing that makes me a good baker (loving exact measurements and being very precise) is what makes me a not-so-great cook. I’ll often find myself in the middle of a recipe that isn’t looking quite right, and I’ll call my mom (a wonderful cook) and ask for help. “Taste it,” she’ll tell me. “See what it needs.”
And that’s the part I hate.
With baking, you know that if you mix a specific amount of sugar and butter, you will end up with a fluffy creamed mixture just calling for flour and other dry ingredients. So not true with cooking.
So when I watched The Best Thing I Ever Made and practically salivated over Andrew Zimmern’s chicken wings, I decided to give them a whirl. And the recipe worked. The wings were sticky, spicy, and full of flavor. (And I even tasted the sauce and added more heat.) I can see them being a hit at Superbowl party, Oscar party, or even just on a Wednesday night. So if you’re a bad cook who likes to eat well, try this recipe. You won’t be disappointed!
Ingredients
16 chicken wings
1/3 cup sake
1/3 cup soy sauce
4 tablespoons brown sugar
3 tablespoons mirin
3 tablespoons oyster sauce
4 large thin slices fresh ginger
1 dried hot chile (I used red pepper flakes)
Shaved green onions, for garnish
Sesame seeds, for garnish
Preparation
Place a 14-inch nonstick saute pan over high heat. Add the chicken and dry-sear to lightly brown the chicken. Add the sake, soy sauce, 1/3 cup water, brown sugar, mirin, oyster sauce, ginger, and dried chile and bring to a simmer. Cook, covered, about 12 minutes.
Uncover and simmer until the pan is almost dry, tossing frequently to coat the wings, 10 to 12 minutes. Skim off the fat if you like, and serve, garnishing with scallion shavings and sesame seeds.
Recipe adapted from Andrew Zimmern [1].