I didn’t used to be a huge fan of chicken wings. It wasn’t something that I would have eaten growing up. However, after I moved to Dublin and prior to my coeliac diagnosis, I tried the quite famous chicken wings from Elephant and Castle. After that, I was amazed that they had stayed off my food radar for so long. I still visit the restaurant, not for wings though as last time that I asked they aren’t gluten free. They can cater for coeliacs and they have a pretty impressive mexican salad.
In my quest to replicate the Elephant and Castle wings, I make a blue cheese dip to go with these. I don’t normally eat blue cheese but I find Cashel Blue has a beautiful mild creaminess that I really enjoy. To make the dip, add about half the packet with a good tablespoon of creme fraiche, a good tablespoon of gluten free mayonnaise, a clove of garlic, ground black pepper and a squeeze of lemon juice if you have it. Blitz all these ingredients together.
This dip is best made before the wings go into the oven so that it can infuse and let the flavours develop.
The wings are pretty straightforward to prepare and also economical. You can buy a pack of 10-12 full wings in Dunnes for £2.99. I used to get their free range wings, however I’ve been having trouble finding them recently. I split the wings before I bake them in the oven. By this, I mean that I cut the tip off the top and then split the wing in two. You should feel a natural place to cut in the middle of the wing, in between the cartilage. I find it easier to eat them when they are cooked like this.
As you can see from the picture, I had a couple of hungry guests that night as well!
I light sprinkle of olive oil and some sea salt is all I use prior to cooking them. I put them into a very hot oven, around 210 C Fan Oven. These normally take between 50 minutes to 1 hour to cook. I prefer mine when the skin has gone crispy. Personally I hate a soggy wing that when you bite in it feels like the skin has a layer of fat. Hence, I cook them until the fat has rendered off them and they are crispy. I turn them at least once during cooking.
While they are cooking, you can prepare your sauce and celery. I used Franks Hot Sauce which is gluten free, as stated on their website
Put as much sauce as you need to cover the wings into a pan. To this I add a dessert spoon of white wine vinegar and a knob of butter and heat gently.
So, once your wings are crispy, put them into a serving dish and pour over your sauce.
This is a great weekend recipe or a Friday night meal with a glass of crisp New Zealand Sauvignon, or a Gluten Free Beer!
