Adobo Style Wings
Wings on a weeknight, seriously.
Like I promised last week, I’m here to show you your new favorite way to make chicken wings. I absolutely love chicken wings for a lot of reasons. First off they're delicious. And they just seem to be a “fun food”, you know? Also, wings have a lot of connective tissue and cartilage in them which is rich in collagen, which is very very good for you. Americans don’t ingest nearly as much collagen as other cultures. And it’s a shame! Seems we don’t like parts of the animal that aren’t the breast or the tenderloin. But around the world people are eating the more delicious parts of the animal like feet, tendons, ears, organs, etc. that are packed with connective tissue and in turn collagen.
My friends Kathy Brennan and Caroline Campion came out with their first cookbook Keepers a few years ago. It’s everything you want in terms of cooking for a family. I was lucky enough to be the food stylist on their second book The Dinner Plan, which is also fabulous. If you like this newsletter, I highly recommend you buy their books.
Adobo Style Wings from Keepers
The only change I made to their recipe is that I subbed coconut milk for the water, which they offer as a suggestion. And to follow my whole “prep now, cook later” schema, I combined all the ingredients right in the saucepan in the morning before I planned to make them. This way that step is done, plus they get extra marinating time. MAKE THESE. They are easy and oh so delicious. My toddler ate them up, sucking on the bone. And the sauce was soaked up by some sushi rice I picked up from our local Japanese restaurant. Round it out with some simple steamed or air fried broccoli and that’s dinner!
Serves 4
1 cup water
¾ cup distilled white vinegar
¾ cup soy sauce
8 garlic cloves, smashed
3 bay leaves
1 teaspoon black peppercorns, lightly crushed
3 pounds chicken wings (about 16), halved at the joint and tips removed (save them for stock or soup, if you like)
In a large high-sided saute pan with a lid that can hold the wings in a snug single layer, combine the water, vinegar, soy sauce, garlic, bay leaves, and peppercorns. Bring to a boil over high heat and boil for about 2 minutes. Add the wings, reduce the heat, and gently simmer, covered, until the wings are almost cooked through, about 15 minutes, flipping the wings over once.
Meanwhile, preheat the broiler, with a rack positioned so the wings will be 3-4 inches from the heat. After simmering the wings, transfer them to a sheet pan (lined with foil for easier cleanup) skin-side down, leaving the liquids and any solids in the pot. Skim any fat from the surface, then boil the liquid until it is reduced to about 1 cup, 10 minutes Strain the sauce, if you like.
Meanwhile, broil the wings until golden, about 5 minutes. Flip the wings over and broil until crisp and cooked through, about 5 minutes more. Serve the wings with the sauce on the side or drizzled over.
What I’m Loving This Week:
Tuna Salad from Maangchi: If you haven't heard of this woman please look her up on social. I won’t do the description justice. Everything she makes makes my mouth water. And the tuna sandwich I saw her post recently was no exception. I haven't made it yet but it’s my plan this week.
Soft Form Bra from Tru & Co.:A friend of mine tipped me off to this fantastic bra, and I was lucky enough to have the brand send me one. You know I only share with you guys things that I legitimately like. It’s a more structured bralette in a buttery soft fabric. Honestly, I haven't taken it off for 72 hours.