4th of July Fusion! Asian Style Wings & Slaw

Fire up those grills and slather on the sunscreen. This year we have two iconic dishes with a twist on the traditional recipe. With this country's diverse cultural background, tired American recipes are begging for a kick with eclectic flavors. This recipe for Barbecued Chicken Wings, incorporates flavors from Asian culture making these wings an excellent example of today's America. The accompanying slaw recipe compliments the wings well with its freshness and additional subtle Asian flavors. These flavors can be paired well with a nice aromatic Riesling that is great for distinctive marinades, sweet, sour, salty and spicy flavors. Riesling will work well with either chicken or pork for this dish. Other wines to pair: Gamay or Grenache based wines. If chicken wings are not your thing, this basting sauce is also excellent on pork ribs or tofu! Just be sure to use the sauce on your chosen white meat towards the end of the cooking process to avoid burning the outside of the meat.

Ingredients for Wings & Dry Rub:

• 1 package of raw Chicken Wings
• Skewers 1 per wing: metal or wooden
• 1 tbsp Cayenne Pepper
• 1 tbsp of Dried Thyme
• 1 tbsp of Granulated Garlic
• 1 tbsp of Chili Powder
• 1 tbsp Kosher Salt
• 1 tbsp of Ground Pepper
• 1 tbsp Curry Powder
• Cooking Spray or Canola Oil

Ingredients for Basting Sauce:

• Juice of 1 Orange
• Juice of 1 Lime
• Juice of 1 Lemon
• ¼ cup of Honey
• 1/4c + Sriracha
• 2 tbsp of Soy Sauce
• splash of Sesame Oil

Preparing the Chicken Wings:

1. Prepare your grill and preheat the oven to 400°F.
2. Cut off the wing tips of each chicken wing. Straighten out the wing and skewer.
3. Mix the dry ingredients together for the seasoning rub. Lightly coat the wings in oil or spray and coat with dry rub.
4. Start the coals on one side of the barbecue. ½ a chimney should be enough.
5. Line a large baking sheet with tin foil and place the seasoned wings inside without stacking them. Cook them in oven at 400°F for 25 minutes before grilling.
6. In a bowl, mix together the ingredients for the basting sauce.
7. When the charcoals are glowing white they are ready! Brush the wings with the basting sauce placing them skin side down on the grill. Place the wings over the coals so the sticks are not over the heat to prevent from burning them.
8. Brush the backside of the wings with the sauce. Close the lid and let them cook for 3 minutes.
9. After 3 minutes, turn the wings over and baste them again with the sauce. Cook for 3 more minutes with the top closed. Keep an eye on the wings because the honey from the sauce can burn easily.
10. Pull them off the fire and let rest before serving. Extra basting sauce can be used for dipping.

Ingredients for Asian Slaw:

• 1 bag of pre-shredded Slaw (cabbage or broccoli)
• 3 Green Onions
• ½ cup chopped Cilantro
• 1 cup of Red Cabbage or Radicchio
• 1 cup shredded Carrots, if desired
• 1 cup of diced Cucumber
• Fresh Serrano or Jalapeños Green Chilies *Optional
• ½ cup Seasoned Rice Vinegar
• Salt and Pepper to taste
• Lime Juice, if desired

Preparing the Slaw:

1. Cut up the ingredients then toss in a bowl with the seasoned rice vinegar and lime juice.
2. Let the dressed slaw sit in the fridge. The longer it sits the more the flavors infuse together. You can prepare this slaw in advance.

Want to kick it up? Substitute the Seasoned Rice Vinegar for Thai Peanut Dressing. Add the chili peppers for heat or lightly chopped roasted peanut for a crunchy topping.

 This recipe has been contributed by Leo Coulourides, our Culinary Specialist.