Name: Bajan chicken wings
Total time: 45 min
Yield: 10
Cuisine: Caribbean
Ingredients: 2 long shallots, chopped; ½ onion, chopped; 1tbsp ground turmeric; 1 tbsp mustard powder; 20 scotch bonnet peppers; 50g garlic (5-7 cloves); 75g fresh horseradish; 1 lime, zested; 225ml distilled malt vinegar; 1kg chicken wings; 40g all-purpose seasoning; 500ml buttermilk; 250ml white wine vinegar; 100g caster sugar; 3 large red onions, thinly sliced; 250g plain flour; 1 tsp ground allspice; ½ tsp onion powder; ½ tbsp garlic powder; 1 tsp dried thyme; 60g Bajan pepper sauce (recipe above) or other hot pepper saucE; 200g mayonnaise; a few sprigs of coriander; pickled red onions (recipe above)

A plate covered in baking paper and topped with red-coated crispy chicken wings with a small pot of yellow dip

BAJAN PEPPER SAUCE (OPTIONAL)

2 long shallots
chopped
½ onion
chopped
1tbsp ground turmeric
1 tbsp mustard powder
20 scotch bonnet peppers
50g garlic (5-7 cloves)
75g fresh horseradish
1 lime
zested
225ml distilled malt vinegar

MARINADE

1kg chicken wings
40g all-purpose seasoning
500ml buttermilk

PICKLED RED ONIONS

250ml white wine vinegar
100g caster sugar
3 large red onions
thinly sliced

DRY MIXTURE FOR CHICKEN

250g plain flour
1 tsp ground allspice
½ tsp onion powder
½ tbsp garlic powder
1 tsp dried thyme

TO SERVE

60g Bajan pepper sauce (recipe above) or other hot pepper saucE
200g mayonnaise
a few sprigs of coriander
pickled red onions (recipe above)

Method

step 1
To make the pepper sauce, blitz all the ingredients plus 1 tbsp of table salt in a food processor or high-powered blender to make a smooth paste. Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3-4 days before using.
step 2
The day before cooking, rub the chicken wings in the all-purpose seasoning and put into a large bowl. Pour over the buttermilk and chill overnight.
step 3
To make the pickled onions, bring the vinegar and sugar to a boil in a pan over a medium heat, then add the onions. Cover and leave until completely cool, then chill.
step 4
Combine all the ingredients for the dry mixture, plus 10g of table salt.
step 5
Whisk together 60g of the Bajan pepper sauce and mayonnaise to make a serving sauce, then set aside until ready to serve.
step 6
Remove the chicken wings from the buttermilk and drain really well, then toss in the dry mixture.
step 7
Heat the oven to 200C/fan 180C/gas 6. Fill a large pan no more than a third full with oil and heat to 180C or until a cube of bread browns in 30 seconds. Fry the wings, in batches, for 5-7 minutes or until crisp, drain onto kitchen paper, then tip onto a baking tray while you fry the rest. Once all the wings are fried, put them into the oven for 5 minutes to cook through.
step 8
Serve the wings with the coriander, pickled onions, dipping sauce and the remaining pepper sauce.

Henry Omereye