Summer – a time when you’re outside enjoying sun-soaked days with friends and most likely downing a good brew or two. One of the best things to wash down with beer is a good, spicy buffalo wing.
Buffalo wings originated in Buffalo, New York and according to at least three versions, are the brainchild of Teressa and Frank Belissimo (the legend of Buffalo wings span from a late-night snack Teressa whipped up for her son and his friends to the mis-delivery of wings instead of backs, which were used to make the spaghetti sauce at the Belissimo’s bar). No matter how they came to be, people have been gobbling them up en masse for decades. While buffalo wings are typically deep fried, they can be baked or grilled, and always contain a base of cayenne pepper, hot sauce and butter for the sauce that coats the wings and are served with ice-cold celery sticks and a creamy blue cheese dip.
The following recipe for Buffalo wings is ideal if you don’t have a deep-fryer at home (and many of us don’t!) No matter. This version is zesty, finger lickin’ and will have your guests begging for more.
Buffalo Wings Recipe
Ingredients
Wings
2 lbs chicken wings (about 12 wings)
3 Tbsp butter, melted
4 Tbsp bottled hot pepper sauce (like Crystal or Frank’s Original)
1 Tbsp paprika
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
Celery sticks
Blue cheese dip
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 cup crumbled blue cheese
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1 Tbsp white wine vinegar or white vinegar
1 clove garlic, minced
Method
Wings
1 Cut off wing tips (discard or reserve for other use such as making stock). Cut wings at the joint. Put chicken wing pieces in a plastic bag. Set aside. Food safety note: when cutting raw chicken it is best to use a cutting board reserved just for cutting raw chicken. Wash thoroughly when finished. Do not let raw chicken juices come in contact with other food.
2 Create a marinade by stirring together the melted butter, hot pepper sauce, paprika, salt, cayenne pepper and black pepper. Pour all but 2 tablespoons of the marinade over the chicken pieces in the plastic bag. (Reserve marinade for coating after the pieces come out of the oven.) Seal bag and let marinate at room temperature for half an hour. When marinating is finished, drain marinade and discard bag.
3 Place wing pieces on the rack of a broiler pan. Broil 4 to 5 inches from the heat for about 10 minutes on each side, until chicken is tender and no longer pink. Remove from oven and baste with reserved marinade.
Serve with Blue Cheese Dip and celery sticks. Makes approximately 24 pieces (about 12 appetizer servings).
Blue cheese dip
Combine dip ingredients – sour cream, mayonnaise, blue cheese, vinegar, and garlic – in a blender or food processor. Blend or pulse until smooth. Cover and chill up to a week.
 Recipe courtesy of http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Restaurant-Style-Buffalo-Chicken-Wings/Detail.aspx
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