Name: Mighty Mighty’s holy roller hot wings with hot sauce
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 75 min
Ingredients: 24 chicken wingettes; For deep-frying: vegetable oil; To serve: mustard cress; Pickled celery; 125 ml (½ cup) apple cider vinegar; 40 gm demerara sugar; 25 gm sea salt flakes; 1 fresh bay leaf; Juice and thinly peeled rind of ½ orange; 1 tsp yellow mustard seeds; 2 celery stalks, thinly sliced on an angle; Holy roller hot sauce; 250 gm habanero chillies (about 10); 2 tsp canola oil; 30 gm birdseye chillies (about 10), coarsely chopped; ½ onion, coarsely chopped; 2 garlic cloves, coarsely chopped; 25 gm canned chipotle chillies in adobo (see note); 1 tbsp tomato paste; 65 ml light corn syrup (see note); 50 gm light muscovado sugar or brown sugar; 1 tsp sweet paprika; ½ tsp ground cayenne pepper; 75 ml tomato juice; 50 ml apple cider vinegar; 1 ghost chilli (see note); Ranch sauce; 2 tsp canola oil; 1 each spring onion and garlic clove, thinly sliced; ½ tsp each garlic powder and onion powder

Ingredients

24 chicken wingettes

For deep-frying: vegetable oil

To serve: mustard cress

Pickled celery

125 ml (½ cup) apple cider vinegar

40 gm demerara sugar

25 gm sea salt flakes

1 fresh bay leaf

Juice and thinly peeled rind of ½ orange

1 tsp yellow mustard seeds

2 celery stalks, thinly sliced on an angle

Holy roller hot sauce

250 gm habanero chillies (about 10)

2 tsp canola oil

30 gm birdseye chillies (about 10), coarsely chopped

½ onion, coarsely chopped

2 garlic cloves, coarsely chopped

25 gm canned chipotle chillies in adobo (see note)

1 tbsp tomato paste

65 ml light corn syrup (see note)

50 gm light muscovado sugar or brown sugar

1 tsp sweet paprika

½ tsp ground cayenne pepper

75 ml tomato juice

50 ml apple cider vinegar

1 ghost chilli (see note)

Ranch sauce

2 tsp canola oil

1 each spring onion and garlic clove, thinly sliced

½ tsp each garlic powder and onion powder

25 gm tomato paste

50 ml apple cider vinegar

165 gm sour cream

50 gm Gorgonzola piccante

15 gm canned chipotle chillies in adobo

2 tsp Tabasco

Spice rub

50 gm light muscovado sugar or brown sugar

1 tsp each paprika and cumin seeds

Juice and finely grated rind of 1 lime

¼ tsp ground cayenne pepper

1 tbsp canola oil

Method

Main

1.For pickled celery, bring ingredients, except celery, and 250ml water to the boil in a saucepan over medium-high heat, stirring to dissolve sugar. Remove from heat, add celery, then transfer to sterilised jars, seal and refrigerate to pickle (2 days). Pickled celery will keep refrigerated for 2 months.

2.For holy roller hot sauce, preheat oven to 200C, spread habanero chillies in a roasting pan lined with baking paper and roast until starting to blacken (25-30 minutes). Meanwhile, heat oil in a frying pan over medium-high heat and fry birdseye chillies, onion and garlic, stirring occasionally, until starting to caramelise (6-8 minutes). Add chipotle and tomato paste and cook, stirring occasionally, until thickened (3-5 minutes). Add corn syrup, sugar, paprika and cayenne and bring to the boil, stirring continuously. Add tomato juice, vinegar and ghost chilli and simmer, stirring occasionally, until thick (45-50 minutes). Blend until smooth, season to taste with salt, transfer to sterilised jars and refrigerate until required. Holy roller sauce will keep refrigerated for 2 weeks.

3.For ranch sauce, heat oil in a saucepan over medium-high heat, add spring onion and garlic and stir occasionally until tender (3-4 minutes), add garlic and onion powders, stir to combine, stir in tomato paste, deglaze pan with vinegar and cool. Blend in a food processor with remaining ingredients until smooth, season and refrigerate. Ranch dressing will keep refrigerated for 3 days.

4.Cook chicken wings in batches in a large saucepan of boiling water until cooked through (4-6 minutes), drain, rinse and cool completely.

5.Meanwhile, for spice rub, process ingredients in a blender until smooth, then rub over wings and refrigerate for flavours to develop (6-8 hours; this can be done up to 2 days ahead).

6.Heat vegetable oil in a saucepan to 180C. Deep-fry chicken in batches, turning occasionally, until golden and cooked through (3-4 minutes; be careful, as hot oil spits), then drain on paper towels. Toss in holy roller hot sauce and serve hot with pickled celery, ranch sauce and mustard cress.

Note Makes 24 hot wings. Begin this recipe two days ahead to pickle the celery. Beware: the holy roller sauce is very, very hot indeed. Chipotle chillies in adobo are available from delicatessens and Mexican food shops. Corn syrup is available from health-food stores and supermarkets. Ghost chillies are extremely hot chillies available from select grocers. If they’re unavailable substitute with 3 extra birdseye chillies.
Notes

The Gourmet Traveller Team

Gourmet Traveller is Australia’s trusted authority on food, travel and luxury lifestyle, bringing the latest news and trends to life through quality journalism, enticing recipes and evocative photography. For more than 55 years, it has been inspiring and informing Australians with the best in cooking, dining, travelling and shopping. Our critics bring the expertise of years of critical eating, drinking and writing to the table. Plus, as the country’s leading title in the luxury sector, Gourmet Traveller works closely with Australia’s leaders in the travel and hospitality industries to give our readers exclusive access. The Gourmet Traveller legacy is one of trust, prestige and relevance.

Styling by Jerrie-Joy Redman-Lloyd

Styling by Lynsey Fryers-Hedrick