Garlicky Buffalo Wings with Blue Cheese Dip
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup crumbled blue cheese or gorgonzola
- 1/3 cup plain yogurt
- 1/3 cup sour cream
- 1 plump garlic clove, very finely minced
- 1 tbs. red wine vinegar
- 2 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 8 tbs. (1 stick) butter
- 4 plump garlic cloves, pressed
- 20 chicken wings
- 1/2 cup Durkee's Red Hot Sauce (I used Frank's Red Hot Sauce)
- 1/4 cup El Paso Chile Company's Hellfire and Damnation Sauce (or other
- VERY hot, habanero pepper-based sauce)
- 2-3 cups vegetable oil
- Kosher salt to taste
- celery sticks
Instructions
In a shallow mixing bowl, mash together cheese and yogurt. Whisk in sour cream. Then blend in remaining ingredients. Whisk vigorously. Pour into serving bowl, cover and refrigerate 2 hours, and up to 24 hours. Melt butter over high heat in a small saucepan. Remove from heat and stir in garlic; set aside. Cut wings into 3 pieces, reserving wing tips in the freezer for stock. Place remaining wing pieces in a large baking dish. Add chile sauces and vinegar to the butter-garlic mixture. Heat until very hot. Pour a quarter of the mixture over the wings and toss to coat. Let marinate at least 30 minutes (I let them sit longer in the refrigerator, about an hour). Preheat oven to 275-degrees. Pour oil into a large deep pan and fry wings 4-6 minutes until browned. Drain on paper towels and place in the oven. Quickly reheat the sauce. Arrange wings on a serving platter and pour sauce over them. Serve with celery sticks and dip.