Bourbon and Coke Chicken Wings

5th September 20215th September 2021
by thefoodwife

Makes 10 wings

When I was 18 my alcoholic drink of choice was always a JD and diet coke. I can’t remember the last time I last had such a drink, but now at age 36, this weekend I did use the combination of bourbon and coke to make a delicious sweet and sticky glaze for some roasted chicken wings. Oh my goodness they were delicious. I can’t wait to make them again!

N.B. You do need to use full fat/sugar coke in this recipe otherwise you won’t get the syrup needed to make the glaze.

Ingredients:

10 full chicken wings

750ml Coca Cola (full fat)

75ml bourbon whisky

1 spring onion, cut into strips

Step 1: Begin by spreading the wings on a roasting tray and baking for 40 minutes at 200c (fan) until they are cooked through and the skin is crisp.

Step 2: While the wings are roasting pour the coke into a wok and reduce on a high heat until it begins to thicken, then add the bourbon and continue reducing until syrupy but still liquid. If you take it too far, add a little more coke and lower the heat until the syrup has melted into the liquid. Turn off until you’re ready to add the cooked wings.

Step 3: The wok needs to be heated up again as you add the cooked wings. Continuously stir to ensure each wing is coated and as the liquid continues to reduce and thicken each wing has a sticky glaze.

Step 4: Serve immediately, scattered with the shredded spring onion.

Pasta alla Vodka

31st July 20212nd August 2021
by thefoodwife

Serves 3-4

This is an unbelievably rich and tasty sauce. It’s relatively simple to make but can be taken up a notch by using homemade pasta. The result will be even more delicious though.

Using tomato purée results in a beautifully smooth and rich sauce, whilst the seasoning comes from the chilli flakes and parmesan.

Once you’ve made the sauce it will be very thick but remember that you will be using some of the pasta water to thin it a little allowing it to easily coat your pasta.

This recipe is easy to double.

Ingredients:
15g butter
2 shallots, finely chopped
3 cloves of garlic, minced
1 pinch chilli flakes
140g tomato purée
150ml double cream
50ml vodka
30g Parmesan, finely grated
Pasta, (gluten-free if required) 75-100g a person, cooked until al dente (reserve a little of the water)

Step 1: Melt the butter over a medium low heat and then soften the finely diced shallot, which will take a few minutes.

Step 2: Once soft (it shouldn’t be coloured) add the garlic and chilli and stir for a couple more minutes.

Step 3: Add the tomato purée and cook out, moving it about the pan for a couple of minutes, then add the cream, vodka and parmesan. Cool for a few minutes, stirring often to stop it from catching.

Step 4: At this stage it is ready to have the cooked pasta added. If you the pasta is not yet ready, switch off the heat on the sauce until a minute before you want to add the pasta.

Step 5: Add the pasta along with a little of the pasta cooking water and stir until you have a silky smooth sauce coating every piece of pasta. Serve immediately, with extra Parmesan if required.

Creamy Pesto Potato Salad

3rd July 20214th July 2021
by thefoodwife

Serves 4

The kids were having some pesto pasta the other evening and I was in the middle of boiling some potatoes for a potato salad for my supper later on. I decided to add a couple of tea spoons of pesto to the dressing and the result was a creamy pesto dressing for my potato salad. This would be perfect for a picnic or BBQ spread.

Ingredients:

500g potatoes, cooked (you can use small salad potatoes, or large potatoes, peeled and cut into equal chunks)

2 heaped tbsp mayonnaise

2 heaped tbsp plain yogurt

2 heaped tsp pesto

Salt and pepper to taste

Step 1: Mix the mayonnaise, yogurt and pesto together and season to taste.

Star 2: Stir through the cooked potatoes and serve.

Can be eaten warm or cold.

Italian-inspired Slaw

29th June 20214th July 2021
by thefoodwife

Serves 8

Whilst I love using red cabbage in my usual slaw recipe, this Italian-inspired slaw works excellently with a white cabbage. Shred it finely and allow it to sit in the dressing an hour or two before serving. Delicious.

Ingredients:

1 small head of white cabbage, core removed and finely shredded

Dressing:

1 tbsp Dijon mustard

1 tbsp fennel seeds

2 tsp garlic powder or 2 minced cloves of garlic

1/2 tsp fine salt

Large pinch of ground white pepper

7 glugs of extra virgin olive oil

7 glugs of cider or white wine vinegar

Juice of half a lemon

Step 1: Combine all the dressing ingredients together.

Step 2: Thoroughly toss the dressing through the shredded cabbage. Allow to marinade for an hour or two before serving.

Any leftovers can be covered and kept in the fridge for the next day.

Satay Marinade

14th June 202128th June 2021
by thefoodwife

As soon as the sun is shining this satay recipe is perfect for marinating some meat and cooking on the bbq. This quantity is enough to marinate two large chicken breasts, cut into strips. It is easily scaled up and works excellently with pork too. I love skewering the marinated pork with alternates pieces of fresh pineapple and then barbecuing.

Ingredients:
1 heaped tbsp crunchy peanut butter
1 tsp soy sauce (gluten-free if required)
2 tbsp sweet chilli sauce
Juice of 1 lime
2 lime leaves, roughly chopped (or use the zest of the lime)
1 lemon grass, bruised with the back of a knife and then finely chopped
1 inch of ginger, peeled and roughly chopped

Combine all ingredients together. Coat the meat and allow to marinate.
Aim to do this the night before for ultimate flavour and then skewer and cook the next day.