Chicken Satay

These make great appetizers or small plates bites.  Serve with Crab Rangoon and chicken wings for a cocktail party.

Ingredients:
  • 1 cup lemongrass, topped and tough bottom removed
  • 1 cup sugar (this is a marinade so you need to use sugar and not substitute)
  • ½ cup fresh ginger peeled and chopped
  • 4 Thai chilies, stems removed
  • 6 cloves garlic, crushed
  • 1 Tbl. turmeric
  • 1/4 cup fresh lime juice
  • 1/4 cup dark rum
  • 1 oz. tequila
  • 2 Tbls. fish sauce
  • 1/2 cup coconut milk
  • 12 boneless chicken thighs
  • 1/2 cup chunky peanut butter
  • 2 Tbls. soy sauce
  • 3 Tbls. water
  • bamboo skewers
  • Kosher salt, to taste
  • Vegetable oil, as needed
Directions:
  1. Remove a few outer layers of the lemongrass, thinly slice, and set aside.
  2. In a food processor, combine the lemongrass, sugar, ginger, Thai chile, garlic, turmeric, lime, rum, tequila, and fish sauce. Process until the mixture is as smooth as possible. Scrape down the sides of the processor periodically to ensure an even puree. Remove the mixture from the processor and transfer to a bowl. Whisk in the coconut milk.
  3. Cut the chicken thighs into strips about 1/2-inch wide. Place the chicken in a freezer bag with the marinade and refrigerate for at least 24 hours or up to 48 hours.
  4. Soak bamboo skewers in cold water for 1 hour before threading.
  5. Make a peanut sauce by whisking the peanut butter, soy sauce and water together in a small bowl.  Set aside.
  6. Begin threading the chicken and allow for approximately 1 thigh per skewer. If the chicken thighs are big, 1/2 a thigh per skewer will suffice.
  7. Heat a cast iron griddle or grill on medium-high flame. Season the chicken with sea salt on all sides and grill.
  8. Serve with peanut sauce


Hot Wings

Wings are the consummate bar food and are required any time you have friends over to watch the game.  I have a few different ways to do wings.  I rarely fry them, occasionally I’ll grill them, but I usually roast them in a 400 – 450 degree oven.  I buy a bunch of wings and brine them overnight.  Then I divide them up in quart freezer bags and freeze them.  This way I can thaw however many I want, and prepare them according to what sounds good at the time.  So here are my varieties:

  • Polynesian Style: grilled or roasted and served with savory salt
  • Caribbean Style: roasted and tossed in Wing Sauce (See below)
  • Buttermilk Wings: Breaded and oven fried

Brining

You can probably get by without brining, as long as you marinade the wings for 3+ hours.  That being said, brining allows you to marinade them for a shorter time before cooking.  Anyway, brine the wings in a zip lock bag for 3 hours or overnight in a solution of 2 Tbls. each of sugar and salt per quart of water.

Marinades

For Polynesian Style Wings, marinade for 2 – 3 hours in:

  • 1/2 Cup regular Soy Sauce
  • 1 Tbls. 5 spice powder

For Caribbean Style Wings, marinade for 2-3 hours or overnight in equal parts:

  • Regular Soy Sauce
  • Sweet Vermouth or Mirin
  • Fresh or frozen (thawed) pineapple crushed in a zip lock bag using your hand

For buttermilk wings, marinade overnight in equal parts:

  • Buttermilk
  • Louisiana Hot sauce (or brand of your choosing)

Oven Roasting

  1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees
  2. The buttermilk wings are great breaded with bread or cracker crumbs, corn flakes or ground pork rinds.
  3. Arrange marinaded wings on an aluminum foil covered sheet pan fitted with a wire rack
  4. Roast in the upper part of the oven for 30 – 40 minutes until nicely browned and cooked through

Savory Salt

  • 1/4 Cup kosher salt
  • 1 Tsp. Celery salt
  • 1 Tsp Paprika
  • 1 Tsp Cayenne
  1. Combine all ingredients in a small jar
  2. Sprinkle over wings while hot

Wing Sauce #1

  • 2 Tbls. Melted butter
  • 2 Tbls. Canola oil
  • 4 Tbls. Sriracha Sauce
  • 1 Tbls. Sambal Oelek (Chile garlic sauce)
  1. In a large bowl, whisk all ingredients together or, in a place all ingredients in a lidded jar and shake.
  2. Add the cooked wings to the bowl and toss to coat.
  3. Serve immediately.

Wing Sauce #2

  • 2 Tbls. Melted butter
  • 2 Tbls. Canola oil
  • 4 Tbls. Habanero Sauce such as Louisiana or Tabasco
  1. In a large bowl, whisk all ingredients together or, in a place all ingredients in a lidded jar and shake.
  2. Add the cooked wings to the bowl and toss to coat.
  3. Serve immediately.

Wing Sauce Other

  • 2 Tbls. Melted butter
  • 2 Tbls. Canola oil
  • 4 Tbls. Whatever sauce you want

Wing Sauce Ideas:

  • Try Chipotle, Piquin, Green Chile or Pica Pepper
  • Heat the butter and oil in a small pan and add sliced garlic.  After the garlic cooks a bit, remove it with a slotted spoon.  Add whatever sauce you were thinking of.
  • Use an Italian style tomato sauce and sprinkle the coated wings with fresh Italian herbs and crushed red pepper