BOYS HOPE GIRLS HOPE
KOREAN FRIED CHICKEN WINGS
Serves 4 depending on your appetite
Gojujang chile paste is one of the indispensable condiments in the Korean kitchen. It is made by combining powdered red chili peppers, glutinous rice powder and soybean paste. It’s widely available in Asian markets and on-line.
Canola or other vegetable oil for frying
2 tablespoons pressed fresh garlic
1-1⁄2″ piece peeled ginger, finely minced
3 tablespoons soy sauce
3 tablespoons gojujang
1 1⁄2 tablespoons rice vinegar
1 tablespoon toasted Asian sesame oil
2 tablespoons honey
1/3 cup each rice flour, all-purpose flour and corn starch
16 chicken wings, tips removed and saved for stock (about 1 3⁄4 lbs.)
Pour oil into a 6-qt. pot to a depth of 2″. Heat over medium-high heat until a thermometer reads 350˚. In a small saucepan add garlic, ginger, soy, gojujang, vinegar, sesame oil, and honey. Bring to a simmer over moderate heat and keep warm.
Whisk flours and cornstarch together with 1 cup water in another bowl. Add chicken and toss. Working in batches, fry chicken until golden, 6–8 minutes. Drain on paper towels. Return oil to 350˚. Fry chicken a second time until crisp, 6–8 minutes more. Drain again. Toss chicken in sauce and serve hot.
Note: Alternately you can forego the second frying and instead arrange once fried wings on a rack on a sheet pan and put in a preheated 425-degree oven for 5 – 7 minutes.
FRISÉE SALAD WITH POACHED EGGS AND MAPLE ROASTED BACON
Serves 4
A variation on the classic French bistro salad Frisée aux Lardons. Bacon can be done ahead as well as the eggs. To do eggs ahead, when eggs are just set, simply place in ice water and reheat in simmering water for a few seconds at serving time.
8 strips thick sliced bacon
1/2 cup maple syrup
2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
4 large eggs
1 tablespoon finely chopped shallot
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice or to taste
2 teaspoons grainy Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon sugar or to taste
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
6 gently packed cups of frisée greens, torn into medium-size pieces
Separate bacon and blot dry with paper towels. Coat both sides of bacon liberally with maple syrup. Lay bacon in a single layer on a sheet pan with parchment or a silicon baking mat.
Cook bacon in a preheated 425° oven, turning once, until browned and lacquered, about 12 minutes. Transfer to a lightly oiled plate to cool. Break slices into quarters.
Prepare eggs for poaching: Bring a 4-quart saucepan of water to a boil; add vinegar; reduce heat to medium-low. Crack each egg into its own ramekin and set aside. (Don’t cook the eggs yet.)
In a medium bowl, whisk together shallots, lemon juice, mustard, sugar and olive oil. Season to your taste with salt and pepper. In a large bowl, toss frisée with vinaigrette. Divide frisée and bacon between 4 plates.
In the saucepan, slide the eggs into the water and cook until just firm, about 3 minutes. Using a slotted spoon to drain the eggs, top the salads with an egg and season with salt and pepper. Serve immediately. Note: Eggs can be poached ahead and stored refrigerated in ice water. To serve: place the eggs in barely simmering water for 30 seconds before adding to the salad.
John Ash © 2020