Winging It
This month we're "winging it" in the Gravy Train column, too, with recipes for "Mexican" Chicken Wings and Polish Angel Wings (okay, I know the pun is terrible, but I couldn't resist!). We also have a dessert recipe that will have you wondering if you read the ingredients list right, but one bite will make you a believer!
This first recipe makes a quick and easy appetizer.* It's not gourmet cooking, to be sure, but it got a thumbs-up from both my husband and my daughter, which makes it a hit in my book!
"Mexican" Chicken Wings
- 1 cup ranch dressing
- 1 can (4.5 oz.) green chilies
- 1 packet taco seasoning
- ½ cup flour
- 2-3 teaspoons vegetable oil
- 24 chicken wings or drumsticks
Mix ranch dressing and chilies in a blender or food processor until smooth. Refrigerate.
Stir together taco seasoning and flour in a large, shallow dish. Add oil and stir until well-blended. Coat chicken well with seasoning blend and place in a greased baking dish. Bake in a 350°F oven for 30-35 minutes, turning after 15 minutes, until chicken is fully cooked and fork-tender. Serve with ranch dressing sauce.
*The first time I made this recipe I didn't have any chicken wings on hand, so I used chicken breasts instead. I added a "Tex-Mex" veggie blend as a side dish and made a meal of it.
The following recipe is a Polish cookie that is traditionally served right before Lent. As with any traditional food, there are countless recipes out there for "angel wings," ranging from no-frills to deluxe. I've chosen one that is relatively easy to make but delicious nonetheless.
Polish Angel Wings
- 4 egg yolks
- 1 whole egg
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1/3 cup powdered sugar
- 2 Tablespoons rum, brandy, or vodka*
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1½ cup flour
- oil for frying
- powdered sugar
Beat the egg, egg yolks, and salt with an electric mixer for 5-10 minutes until thick. Add powdered sugar in small amounts, beating well between additions. Beat in alcohol and vanilla extract. Stir in flour by hand, mixing until fully incorporated.
Turn dough onto a well-floured surface and knead for ten minutes, until "blisters" appear on the dough. Add small amounts of flour to the dough's surface while kneading to keep it from sticking.
Divide dough into two pieces, setting aside and covering one half. Roll the other half out as thin as possible, to a rectangle about 8x12 inches. The dough may be resistant, but it's important for it to be very thin. Cut into 2x4-inch strips. Make a vertical slit in each strip, from the middle almost to the end. Pull the other end through the slit to make "wings."
Heat two or three inches of oil in a skillet to 350° (temperature is very important to make sure the dough cooks through without burning on the outside). Fry each cookie for approximately 1½ minutes, turning halfway through, until lightly brown. Drain on a paper towel-covered plate and cool completely. Sprinkle liberally with powdered sugar (it works well to sift the sugar through a metal strainer). Store in an airtight container.
*You can substitute apple juice for the alcohol or eliminate it entirely, if you want an alcohol-free cookie.
The next recipe is a brand-new discovery, but I know it will be a standard part of my repertoire in years to come. I got it from my friend, Marie Nordström, who is a fellow expat (Australian) in Sweden. I would never have thought to blend these ingredients (for a dessert, no less!), but the result is simply amazing. You have to try it to believe it!
Sweet Tortilla Cake with Green Chili-Lime Syrup
- powdered sugar
- 8 ounces cream cheese
- approximately 1 pound of berries (e.g. blueberries, raspberries, and
- strawberries), or seasonal fruit
- 2/3 cup sugar
- 2/3 cup water
- grated peel of one lime
- 4 flour tortillas
- 1 can (4.5 ounces) of green chilies, rinsed
Dust tortillas on both sides with powdered sugar. Bake them in a 350°F oven until crispy, 7-8 minutes. Mix sugar, water, lime peel, and chilies in a small saucepan and heat it to a thin, syrup-like consistency (thin it with lime juice if it gets too thick).
Layer tortillas, each spread first with cream cheese then topped with berries. Serve with syrup topping.