Hot Wings with Gorgonzola Sauce

I’ve often accused my husband of being a fair weather fan of our local sports teams, yet it couldn’t be farther from the truth.  No, I’d qualify for the position far more than he ever could given the amount of time he spends cheering and, yes, jeering about their wins and far too frequent losses.  As much as I’ve been right there in the excitement of recent years of Super Bowl possibilities, watching the resident menfolk high-five one another after a good play, and engage in exuberant chest bumping when the Chargers squeaked out a win, this year, I just don’t have it.  Sure, the game is on each Sunday and I usually can be found in the kitchen about that time, but I’m sadly just not interested.  I’m whispering, mind you, because you just can’t say that very loudly around here.

The best I can do is think about what to cook for the “occasion” knowing that I’ll have a small group of men interested in food when the action on the field isn’t going our way — and it often seems not to.  Although they’re often subjected to my routine experimentation, I do occasionally treat them to food that is more in line with what one may want on game day.

Like Buffalo Wings — or more accurately — Hot Wings.

My husband loves Gorgonzola, so guess what’s in the sauce?  And then there’s the crazy Asian hot sauce.  Mmmm….

Hot Wings with Gorgonzola Sauce

12 chicken wings, broken into parts

1 T olive oil

1 tsp. salt

1 c. flour

freshly ground pepper

1-1/2 T white wine vinegar

1/4 tsp. cayenne

1/4 tsp. garlic salt

2 dashes Worcestershire sauce

1 tsp. Sriracha*

pinch of salt

3 T ketchup

3 T garlic chili sauce*

4 T butter

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.  Line a large baking pan with parchment or spray with oil.  Set aside.

In a medium bowl, toss wing parts with 1 T olive oil and salt.  In a gallon-sized zip lock plastic bag, add the flour and pepper and then drop the chicken pieces in.  Seal and shake the bag to coat the chicken pieces evenly.  Place the chicken on the prepared baking sheet and bake for 20 minutes, then remove, turn the pieces over and bake for an additional 15-20 minutes.

While the chicken is baking, in a medium sauce pan, add the vinegar, cayenne, garlic salt, worcestershire sauce, Sriracha, salt, ketchup, garlic chili sauce, and butter.  Over low heat, stir to combine and allow to simmer, then remove from heat.  When the chicken is done, brush sauce liberally on all sides of the chicken and set aside.

Gorgonzola Sauce

1 T Dijon

1 T balsamic vinegar

1 lg. clove garlic, chopped

2/3 c. Gorgonzola

1 c. sour cream

1 T white wine vinegar

In a small bowl mix the mustard and vinegar with the garlic until well blended.  Add about half of the Gorgonzola and mix well.  Add the sour cream and white vinegar and mix before adding the remainder of the Gorgonzola making sure to leave chunks in the mix.  Taste to correct salt content.

Serve with the traditional celery sticks.

Notes:

• If you’d really like these to be hot wings, avoid adding the ketchup and double the amount of hot sauce.
• Speaking of hot sauce, I purchase the *chili garlic sauce* at my local Asian Grocer.  It’s pretty tasty!  If you don’t have this particular product, then use any hot sauce you like.
• Sriracha is an Asian hot sauce.  It can be found in the Asian section of your grocer and has a rooster printed on the label.  It’s a bit on the toasty side but oh, so good!  You can substitute Tabasco if you’d like, or Louisana Hot Sauce which I love.
• Honestly, I think these wing parts could be baked without the oil and flour.  Why add the calories?  Just bake them naked and then douse them in the sauce.  Nice.  That’s how I plan to do it next time.
• The Gorgonzola sauce is quite yummy.  Sure, it’s not the traditional blue cheese, but I’m all about trying new things and this was my spin on it.  Add more cheese for an extra special bite.
• The sequence is as follows:  bite of wing, dip the celery in the cheese, and crunch.  Nice.
• Definitely game food.  Seriously doesn’t matter whether your home boys can play ball or not.

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Tagged as: Appetizers, game day, starters