Yummy Things on the Internet

Sometimes while cruising the internet I come across some things so yummy that I have to share (or document for later consumption).

Check out these winners…

Speaking of meatballs check out The Wednesday Chef

Or how about a Polenta Casserole with Fontina and Tomato Sauce via Simply Recipes?

I know that cupcakes are kind of 5 minutes ago but how great do these Pumpkin Cupcakes sound via Smitten Kitchen?

And last but not least…La Tartine Gourmand’s Turtle Bars!

Pizzeria Libretto

When starting this blog I had the greatest intentions of doing all sorts of restaurant reviews but that never really panned out.  Mostly because I haven’t been eating anywhere THAT thrilling and also because when I do go out I tend to visit the same spots over and over again.

But not tonight!  Tonight I checked out the new pizza place in town, Pizzeria Libretto.  What sets PL apart from other pizza joints is that it’s the only place in Toronto that makes “real” Neapolitan pizza meaning that it uses the guidelines set by the Verace Pizza Napoletana Association and as set by the Italian Government and European Union.  They also use San Marzano tomatoes exclusively and get their Fiore di Latte Mozzarella brought in daily.  AND they had their pizza oven imported from Naples.  This is some pretty serious stuff.

We arrived on a Saturday at around 5:10pm (opens at 5pm) and the place was about half full.  About 15 minutes later a line started forming.  By the time we left, just after 6pm there was a solid 15 people in line.    I couldn’t even imagine showing up for dinner at 8pm!

My party of three shared three pizzas: Quattro Stagione, Home-made Sausage and the Wild Mushroom.  All were delicious!  The Quattro Stagione was my favourite as it feature cacciatore sausage, mushrooms, green olives and artichokes.  I’ve never been a huge fan of green olives but these olives were INCREDIBLE.  I want to call them and find out more about these mystery delicious olives.  The artichokes were also great.  They were marinated and very flavourful which was a great surprise as I expected them to just be plain. The sausage on the home-made sausage pizza was totally flavourful and wonderful as well. The wild mushroom was good too but it wasn’t the symphony of wild mushroomy flavour that I was expecting.

The atmosphere was really laid-back and accommodating for a new “hot spot”. Kid friendly, lingering service and every single employee in the restaurant seemed REALLY friendly. The decor is very clean, light and comfy. I loved the granite bar.

I will definitely be checking this place out again as I didn’t get to try any of the delicious sounding appetizers on the menu.
Check out their website: Pizzeria Libretto
221 Ossington Avenue
Toronto, ON

Also see what’s been written about them:
Chowhound
The Toronto Star
The Globe & Mail
The National Post
Taste T.O.

Spaghetti and Meatballs

Spaghetti and Meatballs

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Ok, so this isn’t a real post but I just had to share.
I didn’t grow up eating spaghetti and meatballs.  Sure I remember my mom making them once in a while but it wasn’t a staple.  The other day, for no apparent reason, I had the most massive craving for some spaghetti and meatballs.  So I took out all of my Italian cookbooks and settled on an Italian-American recipe by Lidia Bastianich.

I’m not posting a recipe or giving any directions.  I really just want to share the joys of spaghetti and meatballs!  Maybe it’s because I hadn’t had this meal in years upon years but something about these beefy/porky balls of goodness smothered in a homemade sauce really hit home.
Just something to consider.

ETA:
I purely didn’t post the recipe out of laziness! OOOPS! Here it is via the Boston Globe.

Spaghetti and meatballs
Serves 6

Author Lidia Bastianich suggests that if you do not use pork, soak the bread crumbs in milk for a couple of minutes before adding them to the meat mixture; this will help moisten the drier texture of beef. She writes that the combination of olive and vegetable oils gives you a higher smoking point for frying, but you’ll still get the flavor of the olive oil.

SAUCE

2 cans (35 ounces each) Italian plum tomatoes (preferably San Marzano), with their juice
1/4 cup olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
1 teaspoon crushed red peppers
2 bay leaves
Salt and black pepper, to taste

1. Set a food mill fitted with the fine disk over a bowl. Work the tomatoes and their juices through it.

2. In a large flameproof casserole over medium heat, heat the olive oil. Add the onion and cook, stirring often, for 4 minutes. Pour in the tomatoes, red pepper, bay leaves, salt, and pepper. Bring to a boil, lower the heat, and simmer, stirring occasionally for 30 minutes.

MEATBALLS

1/2 pound ground pork
1/2 pound ground beef
1 cup fine, dry unseasoned bread crumbs
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup chopped Italian parsley
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 egg
1 teaspoon salt, and more to taste
1/4 teaspoon pepper, and more to taste
Flour (for coating)
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 pound spaghetti

1. In a large bowl, crumble the pork and beef. Sprinkle with bread crumbs, 1/3 cup grated Parmesan, the parsley, and garlic.

2. In a small bowl, beat the egg with the 1 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Pour over the meat mixture. With your hands, work the meat until it is evenly blended. Shape the mixture into 1 1/2-inch balls.

3. Dredge the meatballs in flour until they are lightly coated.

4. In a large heavy-based skillet, heat the olive and vegetable oils. Notes: When the oil is hot, place as many meatballs in the pan as you can without crowding. Fry for about 6 minutes or until golden brown on all sides. Remove them from the pan and repeat with the remaining meatballs.

5. Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat.

6. Add the browned meatballs to the tomato sauce and cook, stirring gently, for 30 minutes or until they are cooked through.

7. Stir the spaghetti into the boiling water. Let the water return to a boil and cook, stirring often, for 8 minutes, or until the pasta is tender but still has some bite.

8. Drain the pasta and return the spaghetti to the pot. Add about 2 cups of the tomato sauce and toss gently. Remove from the heat and add the remaining 2/3 cup Parmesan cheese with salt and pepper, if you like.

9. Serve the pasta in warm bowls with a little more sauce spooned over the top. Pass the remaining sauce separately. Pass the meatballs family-style in a bowl or top the bowls of spaghetti with them. – Adapted from “Lidia’s Italian-American Kitchen”

Shrimp Tikka with Fresh Mango Chutney

Shrimp Tikka with Mango Chutney

There are few things that I don’t eat.  At the top of the list are cucumbers and raisins.  Raisins freak me out.  They always have.  When I was young I got the idea stuck in my head that raisins looked like shriveled up roaches and haven’t been able to eat them since.  Cucumbers I can tolerate but will avoid if possible and not embarassing.  If I go to someone’s house and they have slaved over a huge cucumber salad I will have a small portion as to not cause a ruckus.  If they are in my Greek salad I’ll pick them out.  Like I said I can tolerate them if I can’t avoid them.

I say all this to say that I volunteerly made a meal involving cucumbers!  As in I went to the supermarket and BOUGHT a cucumber.  I guess I was just inspired by this recipe . I found this recipe through the always great Epicurious!  I love Indian food, shrimp and mangoes so I knew that it would be a winner.  I thought of substituting the cucumber out for something else (jicama?) but gave up on that one.

The recipe is pretty easy both in terms of ingredients required and preparation.  It’s a good one to do in stages if you won’t have enough time at dinnertime to get everything going.  You can make the marinade and chutney ahead of time.  I didn’t make many substitutions on this one with the exception of skipping the mint in the chutney.  I often skip the mint.  It usually costs about 2 bucks and I end up using a few leaves… and then what?  I’ve tried freezing it but it’s never quite the same.  I also didn’t skewer and grill the shrimp.  Instead I pan fried them.  I’m sure that grilling would have added an extra layer of crispy, smoky goodness but I was willing to go without that being an apartment dweller.

Overall a super yummy dish.  A good dish to use up a not-so ripe mango which abound at this time.  But really, if you live in Canada and are buying mangoes in November/December you are just asking for trouble!

Rating: **** (out of 5)

Shrimp Tikka with Fresh Mango Chutney Gourmet | June 2008

Yield: Makes 6 servings

Active Time: 45 min

Total Time: 1 hr

For shrimp:
1/4 cup vegetable oil
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1 (1-inch) piece fresh jalapeño, chopped (about 2 teaspoons)
1 (1-inch) piece peeled ginger, chopped
1 large garlic clove, smashed
2 teaspoons ground garam masala
3/4 teaspoons turmeric
1/8 teaspoons grated nutmeg
2 pound large shrimp in shell, peeled, leaving tail fan attached

For chutney:
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 (3/4-pound) unripe mango, chopped
1/3 seedless cucumber, peeled and chopped (3/4 cup)
1/2 cup chopped red onion
1 to 2 teaspoons minced fresh jalapeño with seeds
3 tablespoons fresh lime juice
3 tablespoons thinly sliced mint
3 tablespoons chopped cilantro

Marinate shrimp:

Purée all ingredients for marinating shrimp, except shrimp, with 1/2 tsp salt in a blender until smooth. Pour into a sealable bag, then add shrimp and marinate at cool room temperature, turning bag occasionally, 30 minutes. Make chutney while shrimp marinate: Toast cumin in a dry small skillet over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until fragrant, about 1 minute.

Stir together remaining chutney ingredients with 1/4 tsp salt, then sprinkle with toasted cumin.
Make kebabs:

Prepare grill for direct-heat cooking over hot charcoal (medium-high heat for gas);

Thread 4 shrimp onto each skewer, leaving small spaces between them. Put on a tray.

Oil grill rack, then grill skewers, covered only if using a gas grill, turning once, until just cooked through, 4 to 6 minutes total. Serve with chutney.
Cooks’ notes:
·Shrimp can be cooked in a hot well-oiled large (2-burner) ridged grill pan, turning once, about 8 minutes total.
·Marinade can be made 1 day ahead and chilled.
·Chutney can be made 6 hours ahead and chilled.

Trout Grenobloise

Trout Grenobloise

Over the summer I discovered trout.  It’s not that I hadn’t had trout before but it really made it’s way into my rotation of seafood.  For some reason it was always on sale and that usually entices me to try something new.  Needless to say I’ve had a good rotation of trout in my freezer for the past few months.

I started out by making my trout with a bacon sauce and while delicious I found that I needed new ways to make the trout so I clicked on over to epicurious.com for inspiration.  Surprisingly enough there were a TON of recipes using smoked trout… who knew smoked trout was so big.  It’s certainly not on my radar!  And then I stumbeled upon this recipe for trout grenobloise that sounded pretty good.  I’m a fan of fish prepared simply with butter and capers so I knew it would be good.

It’s nothing to write home about – it’s a pretty standard and traditional meal.  But for those nights when you want a quick, no-fuss and delicious meal… this is a great choice.  I served it alongside boiled potatoes (not that exciting, I know) and cauliflower.  I love making Skate this way too!
Rating: *** 1/2 (out of 5)

TROUT GRENOBLOISE
2 12-ounce trout, butterflied
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons clarified butter or vegetable oil
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
Juice of 1 lemon
2 teaspoons salted capers, rinsed
1. Place flour in a shallow dish. Add 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper; stir with a fork to combine. Season butterflied trout lightly with more salt and pepper. Pat both sides of the trout in flour, shaking gently to remove excess flour.

2. Heat butter or oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add trout to skillet, skin-side up. Cook until pale golden, about 3 minutes. Turn and continue cooking, 3 to 4 minutes more.

3. Remove trout to a warmed serving platter. Remove skillet from heat. Add butter, lemon juice, and capers. Brown the butter, stirring with a wooden spoon to release the brown bits in the bottom of the skillet, 1 to 2 minutes. Pour sauce over trout and serve immediately.

Epicurious Television
September 1999

Peach Jam with Pinot Noir and Cinnamon

I’m kind of late on posting this one as peach season is long gone but I just felt that I had to share this one.  Last summer I discovered the joys of jam making.  This was born mainly out of the frustration with regular jams being way too sweet and having High Fructose Corn Syrup.  Plus, I like a challenge and the fear of contracting botulism really got my blood flowing.

I’m obsessed with Christine Ferber’s jam book entitled Mes Confitures . It is a book dedicated entirely to making wonderful, unique varities of jam.  The recipes do call for a lot of sugar but I’ve taken to using Pomona’s Universal Pectin to cut down on my need for sugar.

When the Ontario peaches started rolling over the summer I wanted to make Peach jam and flipping through book I found this great recipe for Peach Jam made with Pinot Noir and Cinnamon.  How absolutely lucious does that sound?  Peach jam with red wine??  AMAZING.

So I went out, bought me a bottle of pinot noir and went to task.  My apartment smelled amazing the entire time the jam was simmering away.  Just think — peaches, cinnamon, sugar and wine?  That scent needs to be bottled and sold as perfume.  Of course as the peaches were cooking I couldn’t help but try to the jam over and over again, it was absolutely irresistible.  As mentioned above I substituted about 2 cups of the sugar out in favour of using Pomona’s.  The quantity of sugar below is required to not only preserve the fruit but allow the jam to set properly.  By using natural pectin I’m able to help the jam set with less sugar.

When I finally decided to pop open a jar I have to admit I was blown away.  I had never had jam like this before.  I’m not nervous to open up another jar because let’s face it, peach season is another 8 months away, and frankly, I need to pace myself.

Definitely bookmark this recipe for next year.  You could probably try with frozen peaches but I don’t think that it would be same at all.

Rating: ***** (out of 5)

Vineyard Peach with Pinot Noir and Cinnamon

2 1/4 pounds vineyard peaches

4 1/2 cups granulated sugar

Juice of 1 lemon

2 cinnamon sticks

1 1/2 cups pinot noir

Poach the peaches for 1 minute in a pan of boiling water.  Refresh them in ice water.  Peel them and halve them, removing the stones and cut each half into 6 sections.

In a preserving pan, combine the peach sections, sugar and cinnamon sticks, and lemon juice.  Bring to a simmer, and then pour into a bowl.  Cover the fruit with a sheet of parchment paper and refrigerate overnight.

Next day, bring this preparation to a boil in a preserving pan, stirring gently.  Skim.  Continue cooking on high heat 5 minutes, stirring constantly.  Lift out the peach sections with a skimmer and divide them among the jar.  Add the pinot noir to the cooking syrup and continue cooking on high heat for about 5 minutes.  Skim again if needed.  Remove the cinnamon sticks.  Return to a boil.  Check the set.  Finish by filling the jars with the syrup and seal.

(From Mes Confitures by Christine Ferber)

Turkey and Artichoke Stuffed Shells with Arrabbiata Sauce

Oh Giada, what a complicated affair we have!

When Giada first came onto the Food Network scene I ADORED her. I thought her recipes were delicious, simple and a good way of doing Italian without getting to fancy with it. But over the years things changed. The shirts got lower, the manicures nicer, instant pudding became an ingredient and the recipes started becoming less and less Italian. Now the show is more like “kind of Italian with Giada”.

But I still have a soft spot for Giada De Laurentiis. The other day I was browsing through her Everyday Pasta cookbook. It’s not in my regular rotation of cookbooks but it’s one that has a good recipe or two. I stumbled across the stuffed shell recipe and thought it sounded fab and kind of decadent.

I went ahead and made a few substitutions. I nixed the turkey meat in favour of ground beef and pork. I’m just not a fan of ground turkey AND it can be pricey so I decided to go the hog/steer root. The other change was minor. The recipe called for frozen artichokes which I couldn’t find ANYWHERE. I went to a few supermarkets and the huge Italian grocery store and had no luck. I used jarred artichokes which I rinsed before using.

The recipe was FANTASTIC. Better than fantastic. I loved the combination of meat, cheese and artichokes. I was a little concerned about the addition of the artichokes but they really added great flavour. I brought leftovers to work and everyone was intrigued and seemed happy when they sampled them. This is definitely one of those recipes that’s great for a casual dinner party. You can make it in stages, assemble and cook right before company arrives.

Giada redeems herself.
Rating: **** 1/2 (out of 5)

Serves: 6 to 8 servings

1 (12-ounce) box jumbo pasta shells (recommended: Barilla)
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 large yellow onion, chopped (about 1 cup)
3 cloves garlic, chopped
1 pound ground turkey
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, plus 1/2 teaspoon
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus 1/4 teaspoon
1 (8 to 10-ounce) package frozen artichokes, thawed and coarsely chopped
1 (15-ounce) container ricotta cheese
3/4 cup grated Parmesan
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil leaves
2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

5 cups Arrabbiata Sauce, recipe follows

1 1/2 cups grated mozzarella (about 5 ounces)

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and partially cook until tender but still very firm to the bite, stirring occasionally, about 4 to 5 minutes. Drain pasta.Meanwhile, in a large heavy skillet, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the onions and the garlic and cook until the onions are soft and starting to brown, about 3 minutes. Add the ground turkey, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper and continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until the meat is slightly golden and cooked through. Add the artichoke hearts and stir to combine. Remove from heat and let cool.

In a large bowl combine the cooled turkey mixture with the ricotta cheese, Parmesan cheese, eggs, basil, parsley, and the remaining salt and pepper. Stir to combine.

To stuff the shells, cover the bottom of a 9 by 13 by 2-inch baking dish with 1 cup of Arrabbiata sauce. Take a shell in the palm of your hand and stuff it with a large spoonful of turkey mixture, about 2 tablespoons. Place the stuffed shell in the baking dish. Continue filling the shells until the baking dish is full, about 24 shells. Drizzle the remaining Arrabbiata Sauce over the shells, top with the grated mozzarella. If freezing, cover tightly with plastic wrap and place in the freezer for 1 day and up to 1 month.

To bake, preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Bake until the shells are warmed through and the cheese is beginning to brown, about 60 minutes (20 minutes if shells are unfrozen.)

Arrabbiata Sauce:

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
6 ounces sliced pancetta, coarsely chopped
2 teaspoons crushed red pepper flakes
2 garlic cloves, minced
5 cups jarred or fresh marinara sauceHeat the olive oil in a large soup pot over medium heat. Add the pancetta and saute until golden brown, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and saute until tender, about 1 minute. Add the marinara sauce and red pepper flakes and bring to a simmer. Remove from heat and let cool until ready to use.

Yield: approximately 6 cups

(via FoodNetwork.com)

Penne with Triple Tomato Sauce

Penne with Triple Tomato Sauce

It’s always nice to have a rotation of quick and easy meals. I would say that a solid 40% of these dishes for me involve pasta because it’s so yummy and easy, and really, who doesn’t have a few boxes of pasta in the pantry? For the record, the other 60% involve seafood, fish and i’m not quite sure what else.

This recipe comes via Food & Wine magazine. Super easy and fresh, great for when you have some great tomatoes on hand. The sauce manages to be filled with delicious tomato-ey goodness, and it’s a no-cook sauce. No-cook!

This recipe lends itself to additions. I made the recipe as is but could totally imagine adding some chicken or shirmp and some veggies. It wouldn’t be “as” is but it would definitely be delicious.

Penne with Triple Tomato Sauce

Ingredients
1 pound penne
2 medium tomatoes (5 ounces each), cut into 1-inch dice
4 oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, drained
2 tablespoons tomato paste
4 large basil leaves
1 garlic clove
1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

Directions

1. In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook the penne until al dente.
2. Meanwhile, in a blender, combine the diced tomatoes, sun-dried tomatoes, tomato paste, basil, garlic and olive oil. Puree until smooth. Pour the tomato sauce into a large bowl and season with salt and pepper.
3. Drain the pasta, add it to the sauce and toss well to coat. Serve the pasta piping hot.

Kung Pao Tofu

Kung Pao Tofu

I can say without hesitation that this is one of my favourite recipes ever. period. not my favourite tofu recipe. not my favourite recipe featuring peppers. Just one of my favourite recipes – which is no small feat considering that the primary ingredient is tofu. Now I don’t have any problems with tofu at all but I rarely crave it. I crave this recipe.

The recipe comes from the at times wonderful Whole Foods Market Cookbook. The ingredients aren’t too hard to track down. Brown Rice Syrup is usually found at health food stores and tamari is readily available now but you could use soy sauce.

Now I’ve never had King Pao Tofu from a restaurant, but as a stand-alone dish this is just overall yummy. It’s a great combination of sweet and spicy as well as crunchy and sauce. I always add a bit more cayenne to the mix because I like the heat. Serve this over rice and maybe with some broccoli on the side and you’re good to go.

Oh, and leftovers are GREAT for lunch the next day!

Kung Pao Tofu
Kung Pao Sauce Base:
1/2 cup brown rice syrup
1/4 cup rice wine vinegar
2 1/2 teaspoons cornstarch
2 teaspoons tamari
1/4 teaspoon cayenne
Tofu:
1 1/2 cups prepared teriyaki marinade
1 pound extra-firm tofu, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
Remaining Ingredients:
1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
1/2 tablespoon canola oil
1 1/4 teaspoons crushed red chili flakes
2 teaspoons minced fresh ginger
2 cloves garlic, minced (1 teaspoon)
1 cup chopped peanuts
3 scallions, thinly sliced diagonally
3/4 cup diced green pepper
3/4 cup diced red pepper

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

To prepare the Kung Pao Sauce bas, combine the brown rice syrup, rice wine vinegar, cornstarch, tamari, and cayenne pepper in a small bowl, and mix until well blended. Set aside,

In a medium bowl, place the teriyaki marinade. Add the tofu cubes, and gently toss to coat well. Remove the tofu from the marinade with aslotted spoon, draining off the excess liquid, and place it on a baking pan in a single layer. Bake the tofu in the oven for 15 to 20 minutes, until it is lightly browned.

Heat the oils in a large saute pan until almost smoking. Add the red chili flakes, ginger, garlic, and peanuts. Saute for 3 minutes. Add the cooked tofu and scallions, and saute 1 minute. Add half the reserved Kung Pao sauce base, stirring constantly until sauce thickens.

Add the remeining half of the sauce base, and stir until glossy. Stir in the peppers; cook for 1 or 2 minutes, until the peppers are firm-tender.

Source:
“Whole Food Market Cookbook”

Buffalo Wings

cooks illustrated buffalo wings

I’ve decided to make my triumphant return to the blogosphere after months of laziness and quality time in my sweatpants. It’s not that I haven’t been cooking (although for awhile I wasn’t cooking anything spectacular), it’s that I’ve been less than motivated to update. But those days are over! I’ve decided to spend more time focusing on things that I love (cooking, writing) and less time on things I don’t (no comment).

On to the food!

A few months ago I saw this issue of Cooks’ Illustrated and thought it looked like a winner. I don’t usually buy this magazine but thought that an entire magazine about American Classics would come in really handy. The issue has recipes for things like ribs, mac ‘n cheese, fried chicken, brownies, egg salad, cobbler etc.

Flipping through my heart immediately fell for the Buffalo Wings recipe. Now, I’m not a big fan of chicken, I don’t like separating wings, and I don’t enjoy deep-frying but something about the idea of making Buffalo Wings warmed my little icy heart.  Who doesn’t love these crunchy, saucy, spicy, boney nuggets of goodness?  And aren’t you tired of crappy wings?

This recipe is FANTASTIC.  I’ve made them a few times now and every time has been a total success.  Dare I say, the recipe is foolproof. The wings are even good as leftovers.  I brought some to work for lunch the following day and they were delicious.  BUT be forewarned, wings are NOT a good work lunch.  Super awkward and messy to eat.  There is NO classy way to eat a chicken wing.  And the knife and fork route is not even an option.

I would say that this recipe is great for “game day” but really, I’ve never done anything for a game day in my life.  So I will end by saying this is a great recipe for any day, whether or not you are a sports fan.

From: Cook’s Illustrated
Serves 6 To 8 As An Appetizer

4 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/2 cup Frank’s Louisiana Hot Sauce
2 tablespoons hot pepper sauce, such as Tabasco, plus more to taste
1 tablespoon dark brown sugar
2 teaspoons cider vinegar
1-2 quarts peanut oil, for frying
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons cornstarch
18 chicken wings (about 3 pounds), wingtips removed and remaining wings separated into 2 parts at the joint
4 stalks celery, cut into thin sticks
2 carrots, peeled and cut into thin sticks
1 recipe Blue Cheese Dressing (recipe follows)

1. Melt the butter in a small saucepan over low heat. Whisk in the hot sauces, brown sugar, and vinegar until combined. Remove from the heat and set aside.

2. Preheat the oven to 200 degrees. Line a baking sheet with paper towels. Heat 2 1/2 inches of oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat to 360 degrees. While the oil heats, mix together the cayenne, black pepper, salt, and comstarch in a small bowl. Dry the chicken with paper towels and place in a large mixing bowl. Sprinkle the spice mixture over the wings and toss with a rubber spatula until evenly coated. Fry half the chicken wings until golden and crisp, 10 to 12 minutes. With a slotted spoon, transfer the fried chicken wings to the baking sheet. Keep this first batch warm in the oven while frying the remaining wings.

3. Pour the sauce mixture in a large bowl, add the chicken wings, and toss until the wings are uniformly coated. Serve immediately with carrot and celery sticks and Blue Cheese Dressing on the side.

BLUE CHEESE DRESSING
Makes About 1 1/2 Cups

5 ounces crumbled blue cheese (about 1 cup)
6 tablespoons buttermilk
6 tablespoons sour cream
4 tablespoons mayonnaise
4 teaspoons white wine vinegar
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
Salt and ground black pepper

Mash the blue cheese and buttermilk in a small bowl with a fork until the mixture resembles cottage cheese with small curds. Stir in the sour cream, mayonnaise, vinegar, sugar, and garlic powder. Adjust seasoning with salt and black pepper to taste. (The dressing can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 1 week.)