Sticky Wings and Pickled Things | Ottolenghi

An evening at home streaming a Hollywood movie and serving up sticky wings and pickled things may be the perfect entertainment or a cozy retreat. Can’t decide which? I like this recipe a lot because I stock most of the necessary ingredients in the pantry. Yes, go for the gochujang, soy sauce, Chinese five-spice (Sichuan peppercorn, cinnamon, clove, fennel seeds, star anise), apple juice, paprika. And who doesn’t have ketchup (perfect substitution for tomato paste) and a little sugar to make the imperfectly perfect marinade? Really, these are the ultimate flavor bombs.

If “pickled things” are not your thing, there are plenty of store-bought dill pickles, bread and butter pickles, pickles and peppers — coming to the rescue. But in a well-stocked pantry with plentiful supply of chili, sugar, vinegar and fresh lime, a quick pickle comes together faster than a trip to the grocery store. Mostly my preference for a quick pickle, rather than the more acidic nature of the store-bought kind, wins out. While the wings are roasting in the oven, there are enough time to start the “pickled thing.”

The marinated wings, together with the marinade (soy and gochujang and spices), go into the oven for about an hour. Covered for the first twenty minutes, then uncover and turn the wings for the next twenty. After that, pay attention in the last twenty-minute period which is the critical phase in getting the wings sticky and charred. Look for the deep mahogany caramelization on the wings with very little liquid left in the pan. That’s the moment you know you’ve nailed the recipe.

When you get all three things: the marinade, the pickled cucumbers and the sticky char of roasting the wings right, you get some finger-licking goodness. The perfect harmony of saltiness (soy sauce), sweetness (caramelization from the sugars), heat (paprika) and funkiness (gochujang) melding in a small bite of the chicken wing. So flavorful you can’t help to eat one after the other. Then they are gone! Hopefully, the movie you pick will get you through the evening.

Print Recipe

Sticky Wings and Pickled Things

By Yotam Ottolenghi – Serves: 4-6

Sticky wings with pickles are perfect companion for entertainment; just add a dash of Hollywood for a night in at home.

Ingredients

• 800g/ 1 3/4 lb chicken wings
• 1 tbsp lime juice
• FOR THE STICKY MARINADE:
• 1 tbsp gochujang, or red harissa
• 1½ tsp tomato paste (ketchup is good here too)
• 170ml apple juice
• 100ml dark soy sauce
• 2½ tbsp demerara sugar
• 2 tsp paprika
• 1 tsp cumin seeds, coarsely ground in a mortar
• ¼ tsp szechuan peppercorns, finely ground in a mortar or spice grinder (optional)
• 2 star anise
• ¾ tsp fennel seeds, coarsely ground in a mortar
• 2 tsp garlic powder
• ½ tsp baking powder
• FOR THE PICKLED CUCUMBERS:
• 2 lebanese cucumbers, or 1 regular cucumber, cut in half lengthways, seeds scooped out, flesh thinly sliced (150g net)
• Fine sea salt
• 2 fresh jalapeño chillies, thinly sliced (if you prefer less heat, discard the pith and seeds)
• 10g caster sugar
• 65ml apple cider or white-wine vinegar
• 20g dill leaves
• 1 tbsp lime juice

Instructions

1

MARINATE THE WINGS: Whisk all the marinade ingredients in a large bowl. Add the wings, toss with your hands until well coated, then put them in a single layer in a high-sided roasting pan or cast iron pan. Set aside to marinate for at least an hour (and up to overnight).

2

MAKE THE PICKLE: Put the sliced cucumber in a large colander with a quarter-teaspoon of salt, toss to combine. Set over a large bowl and leave for 20 minutes. Meanwhile, put the jalapeños, sugar, vinegar and 40ml water in a small pan and bring to a boil for 30 seconds. Strain liquid off the cucumber bowl, then put the cucumbers and dill in the bowl. Pour the pickling liquid over the top and leave to cool completely. Once cool, stir in half a tablespoon of the lime juice.

3

ROAST THE WINGS: Heat the oven to 200C (180C fan)/390F/gas 6. Cover the wing tightly with foil in a pan, then bake for 20 minutes. Take off the foil and, using tongs, turn the wings over and roast uncovered for a further 20 minutes. Spoon any marinade left in the pan all over the wings and bake for 20 minutes more, until sticky and charred in places. Remove from the oven, leave to rest for five minutes, then stir in the remaining half-tablespoon of lime juice.

4

SERVE: Arrange the sticky wings and any remaining marinade on a platter, scatter half the pickles over the top and serve with the rest on the side.

Notes

https://www.theguardian.com/food/2022/oct/29/yotam-ottolenghi-movie-night-snack-recipes-sticky-wings-pickles-quesadillas-rice-krispie-squares