Wings for People Who Don't Like Wings

I've had this recipe sitting in my "To Do" folder for several weeks with no plans to actually make it. Honestly, I only made note of it because I figured Yves suffers through enough of my girlie meals (or as he says, appetizers) and deserves some good man food every once in a while. While I am perfectly content to nosh on half a head of sauteed sesame cabbage and call it dinner, he needs meat to feel satisfied. Of course, in my usual subconsciously selfish manner, I completely forgot about the recipe because I didn't intend to make it for my own dinner. I don't like wings.


Fast forward to a few nights ago: I'm doing my weekly "What can I quickly throw together for dinner with limited ingredients because I'm too lazy to run to the store for what I really want" kitchen dance, and I came across a small jar of apricot jam that had been condemned to the back of the pantry, and it struck a chord in my memory about a recipe for wings I had found in Gourmet. The plan was to make the wings for Yves and then figure out something else for myself, but that plan came to a screeching halt once I tasted the sauce I had made. It had this wonderfully balanced sweet and spicy quality with a nice kick from fresh ginger, and once it thickened under the broiler into a sticky mess of goodness... wow. Chicken wings have never tasted so good.


Apricot-Lacquered Chicken Wings

3 garlic cloves
1 3" piece ginger, peeled and coarsely chopped
2/3 cup apricot (or peach) jam
1/3 cup soy sauce
2 Tbsp. water
1/4 tsp. hot red pepper flakes
4 lb. chicken wings

1. Preheat broiler.
2. Drop garlic into food processor and finely chop. Add ginger and finely chop.
3. Add preserves, soy sauce, water, and pepper flakes and pulse until sauce is combined.
4. Line bottom and sides of a large 4-sided sheet pan with foil. Lightly oil the foil.
5. Pat wings dry and place on sheet pan. Season with salt, then pour sauce over wings and toss to coat. Spread wings into one layer.
6. Broil 4-6" from heat for 5 minutes, then turn over and baste with sauce from pan. Continue to broil, rotating pan and turning and basting 3 more times until chicken is cooked through and browned in spots, 20-25 minutes.