Focus on food: January 19, 2006

Buffalo Wings with Blue Cheese

Have you ever made your own Buffalo Wings?
In the past few decades, Buffalo Wings have become a popular signature appetizer in restaurants and have even become a staple in many households. There is even the Annual Buffalo Wing Festival (in Buffalo New York) where restaurants compete and sample their wings. Here at Lees Market, we carry a variety of Buffalo Wing Sauces and all the ingredients you need to make your very own Fresh Buffalo Wings. You can add your own personal touches with this recipe from our Westport Cooks archives.

Ingredients:
• 3 cups vegetable oil
• 18 Chicken wings
• 6 Tbsp. Melted butter
• 1/4 tsp. Black pepper
• 1/4 cup Tobasco sauce
• 3 Celery sticks

Dressing:
• 1 Tbsp. White Wine Vinegar
• 1/4 cup Mayonnaise
• 1/4 cup Blue Cheese – grated
• 1 Tbsp. Lemon Juice

Method of Preparation:
Cut chicken wings at the joint with the wing tip discarded for saved for chicken stock. Rinse and cut celery stalks into lengths 2" long and 1/2"wide. For the chicken wings, heat the oil to a temperature of 375 in a deep-sided pot. Rinse the chicken wings and pat dry on paper towels. Mix the butter with the Tabasco sauce and set aside. Fry a batch at a time, being careful not to crowd the pot. Fry it for 10-12 minutes or until golden brown. Drain in a single layer on paper towels and repeat until all the wings are fried. As the wings are fried, roll them in the butter mixture. Keep the wings warm in a 200 degree oven in a single layer. While the wings are frying make the dressing by combining the blue cheese, mayonnaise, sour cream or yogurt, pepper, lemon juice, and vinegar in a small mixing bowl. Break up the cheese with a fork but do not beat until smooth. You may prepare the dressing up to two days in advance.