Alain’s Sweet and Spicy Asian Wings

We love wings at our house, I found this one in Emeril’s Potluck cookbook.  I cook the wings in the oven instead of frying them.  I didn’t want the mess, and they turned out great in the oven.  I followed the recipe except for frying the wings.

Ingredients

• 2 cups fresh orange juice
• 1 cup canned pineapple juice
• 2 tablespoons orange zest
• 2 tablespoons minced garlic
• 2 tablespoons minced ginger, ( I did leave this out, not a fan of ginger)
• 2 tablespoons minced green onions
• 1 tablespoon sesame oil
• 1/2 cup soy sauce
• 1/2 cup mirin
• 1 cup sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper (more if you like)
• 3 quarts peanut oil, for frying
• 10 pounds chicken wings, separated at the joints, wing tips discarded
• 2 cups cornstarch
• 4 tablespoons Emeril’s Original Essence
• Salt
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
• 1/4 cup toasted sesame seeds

Instructions

1. Combine the orange juice, pineapple juice, orange zest, garlic, ginger, green onions, sesame oil, soy sauce, mirin, sugar, and crushed red pepper in a large skillet set over medium heat. Bring to a boil, stirring occasionally, until the sugar is dissolved and the liquid has reduced to a thick syrup, 18 to 20 minutes.
   
   
2. For Frying:
   1. Meanwhile, place the peanut oil in a 6-quart pot and heat to 375. Place the chicken wings in a large bowl. In a small bowl, season the cornstarch with the Essence. Place the seasoned cornstarch in a 1-gallon heavy-duty plastic food storage bag and add the chicken pieces in batches. Shake the bag to coat the chicken, then remove and place 8 to 10 pieces in the hot frying oil.
   2. Fry the chicken, stirring occasionally, for 6 to 8 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through. Remove and place chicken in a clean large bowl, lightly season with salt. Continue until all the chicken has been fried.
   3. Preheat the oven to 275. Spoon the sauce over the chicken and toss to evenly coat. Sprinkle the chicken with the cilantro and sesame seeds and place in a large ovenproof dish. Keep warm in the oven until ready to serve.
3. For Baking:
   1. Preheat oven to 425. Rinse the wings under cool water and pat dry. Put them in a bowl, drizzle with olive oil and season well with salt and pepper and sprinkle with Essence.
   2. Toss to coat with the seasoning. Then spread the wings out on a baking sheet covered with foil (makes clean up easier) and roast about 25 minutes until skin gets crisp and brown, and the meat is tender. Remove and place in bowl and toss with sauce, cilantro and sesame seeds.