PARMESAN GARLIC LEMON PEPPER WINGS

Ingredients

• 3 lb chicken wings (drumettes and flats)

• 15-20 cloves garlic 

• 1 cup olive oil, or until submerged

Dry Batter: 

• 2 cups potato starch

• 1 Tbsp dried lemon pepper seasoning

• 1 tsp dried thyme

• Salt to taste
  
  Homemade mayonnaise:

• 1 egg

• 1 Tbsp Dijon mustard

• 1/2 lemon, juice

• 1 cup oil

Sauce:

• 20 peppercorns, toasted 

• 1 tsp dried thyme

• 1 lemon, zest and lemon

• 2 tsp chili flakes

• 2-3 oz Parmesan cheese

Vegetable oil, for frying

Directions

Step 1

Make garlic confit by placing garlic in a large saucepan. Cover in olive oil, sprinkle in thyme and cook on low heat for about 20 minutes, or until garlic has softened and is golden. Remove from heat and pour into a heat proof container. Store in the refrigerator for other uses

Step 2

Meanwhile make the dry batter in a large mixing bowl by adding potato starch, lemon pepper seasoning, thyme and salt. Whisk until combined. Drop the chicken wings into the dry batter and toss until completely coated. Set wings aside to rest.

Step 3

Make the mayonnaise by cracking the egg into an immersion blending jar. Add mustard and lemon juice. Fully cover the yolk with the immersion blender head. Then pour oil on top. Blend with the immersion blender on high speed. Do not move the head or pulse. When you see mayonnaise start to form, very slowly tilt the immersion blender until the oil emulsifies. Once mayonnaise has fully formed, place the jar in the refrigerator until ready to use.

Step 4

In a large pot over medium heat, heat 2” of oil to about 350 degrees. Fry dredged chicken in batches until golden and cooked through, about 8 minutes. Drain wings on a wire rack.

Step 5

To make the sauce, remove mayonnaise and garlic (still in the oil) from the refrigerator. Into the mayonnaise add all of the garlic cloves, 3 Tbsp of the thyme-infused oil and the juice from 1 lemon. Blend with the immersion blender until completely smooth. Transfer mixture to a large mixing bowl, add zest from 1 lemon, parmesan cheese, chili flakes, and ground pepper corns. Mix well.

Step 6

Drop hot chicken wings into the sauce and lastly, add a little bit more parmesan cheese right on top and enjoy hot!

Chef tip: For this recipe, I personally toast and crush peppercorns in a mortar and pestle, and grind to preferred texture (fine, medium or coarse).  Alternatively, you can use 1 Tbsp of pre ground pepper.