Our friend Rob Allison, writer of Cook Books and behind the scenes star of TV Cooking Shows, has taken the challenge to show how the Bloody Bens Bloody Mary Mix is not just for making perfect Bloody Marys but that it’s also great in food. Here’s his recipe for Hot Chicken Wings…
Stick on the American football, order in a keg and get down into Bloody Bens Hot Chicken Wings. Or, more likely, because we’re English, tune into Test Match Special, crack open a flagon and sit down to a table with a knife, fork and napkin. Whichever side of the Atlantic you decide to align with, the taste will still be banging spicy goodness, all gobbled up with cooling blue cheese sauce and celery sticks.
Oil for Deep Frying
20 Chicken Wings, Drum or Flat, or Both
50g Bloody Bens Bloody Mary Mix
75g Franks Hot Sauce
30g Butter
80g Blue Cheese (Roquefort)
70g Buttermilk
Dash of Worcestershire Sauce
Celery Sticks to serve
Bring a large pan of oil to 160℃. Unless you own a huge vat or a deep fat fryer the safest and best way to cook the wings is in two batches. So fill the pan no higher than two thirds high.
Pat the wings dry with kitchen roll, then carefully lower the meat into the waiting hot fat and cook for 15 minutes. Scoop out the wings with a slotted spoon and leave them to drain on a baking sheet whilst you cook the second batch.
Whilst the wings are cooking, pour the Bloody Bens Bloody Mary Mix and hot sauce into a pan and add the butter. Heat the mix over a low heat until the butter has melted then beat the whole lot together and keep to one side.
Blitz together the blue cheese, buttermilk and Worcestershire sauce adding about 2 tablespoons of warm water to the food processor to get it going. Pour the sauce into a waiting bowl.
When the second batch of chicken wings is cooked drain the excess oil then drop in to a tray along with the first batch of wings. Pour over the sauce and toss the whole lot together until well coated.
Serve up the wings with the blue cheese sauce, celery sticks and a whole heap of napkins.