It was 1940 when Frank and Teresa Bellissimo started “winging” it at their Anchor Bar in Buffalo, New York. The story goes that one Friday night the Bellissimos’ son Dominic asked for a snack for himself and his friends. Teresa had mistakenly received a delivery of too many chicken wings, so she fried up a batch, bathed them in hot sauce and margarine, and served them to the boys with the house blue cheese dressing for dipping. And the rest is history! After fifty-five years, the brick landmark on the corner of Main and North is still home to their famous chicken wings.
This is the dip for Buffalo Chicken Wings. However, it is also a scrumptious dip for fresh vegetables and can be used as a salad dressing over tart greens or even on top of a hamburger. While Roquefort is traditionally called for, I love mellow, crumbly Maytag Blue from Iowa. Don’t blend in the cheese—just fold the ingredients together (otherwise the dressing takes on a peculiar grayish color).
Yield : Serves 4 to 6
Ingredients
- 4 large ribs celery, trimmed
- 4 large carrots, peeled
- 4 pounds chicken wings (about 24), tips removed, rinsed and patted dry
- ½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
- 2 tablespoons Tabasco sauce, or more to taste
- 1 cup peanut oil
- 1 cup vegetable oil
- Coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Maytag Blue Dip (makes about 2 cups)
- 1 cup sour cream
- 1 cup mayonnaise
- ¾ cup coarsely crumbled Maytag Blue cheese
- 1 tablespoon cider vinegar
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 2 dashes Tabasco sauce
- 1 tablespoon grated onion
- ½ teaspoon very finely minced garlic
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat leaf parsley
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Directions
To make the dip: Fold the sour cream and mayonnaise together in a bowl. Add the blue cheese and fold gently. Fold in the remaining ingredients, and adjust the seasonings to taste. Refrigerate, covered, until ready to use. The sauce will keep about a week.
1. Cut the celery and carrots into sticks, and set aside for serving.
2. Using a sharp knife, separate the chicken wings at the joint so you have a “drumstick” and a “thigh.” Set aside.
3. Melt the butter with the Tabasco in a small saucepan. Transfer it to a large bowl and set aside.
4. Heat the peanut and vegetable oils in a deep heavy pot over medium-high heat. Once the oil is 375°F, cook the thighs and drumsticks, in small batches, until they are golden brown and cooked through, about 10 minutes. As they finish cooking, remove them with tongs and place them on paper towels to drain. Then place the wings in the bowl and toss them with the Tabasco mixture to coat. Season with coarse salt and pepper.
5. Serve the wings immediately, with the celery and carrot sticks and Maytag Blue Dip alongside.
Notes
Beer: Your current favorite
Note from Cookstr's Editors
Nutritional information is based on 6 servings and includes 1/8 teaspoon of added salt per serving.
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