tips removed and split into “drumettes� and “flats�
vegetable oil
for deep frying
a few celery sticks
salt and freshly ground black pepper
50g/1¾oz butter
2 garlic cloves
crushed
125ml/4fl oz hot sauce
1 tbsp cider vinegar
1 tsp caster sugar
100g/3½oz creamy blue cheese
1 small onion
very finely chopped
100ml/3½fl oz buttermilk
150ml/5fl oz crème fraîche
1 tsp cider vinegar
Directions
If you have time
prepare the wings by sprinkling generously with salt. Lay out
on a rack in the fridge
cover and chill overnight – this will help them crisp when you fry them. An hour before you want to cook them
remove from the fridge to bring to room temperature and pat dry.
For the hot sauce
melt the butter in a small saucepan and add the garlic. Cook gently for a minute or two
then whisk in the hot sauce
vinegar and sugar. Season with salt and pepper.
To make the blue cheese sauce
mash the cheese with the onion
buttermilk
crème fraîche and vinegar.
Pour enough oil in a deep-fat fryer or large saucepan
to fill it no more than halfway. Heat the oil to 160C. (CAUTION: hot oil can be dangerous. Do not leave unattended.) Cook the wings in batches for around 10 minutes
then drain them of any excess oil. Raise the temperature of the oil to 190C and fry again
cooking for a further 2 minutes
until cooked through
very crisp and deep brown. Turn out on to kitchen paper.
Put the wings in a bowl and smother them in the hot sauce. Serve them with the blue cheese sauce and celery sticks.
