Sechuan Button & Spicy Blueberry Oven Roasted Wings

Wings are the rage, right?  Well, I’ve decided wings need a make-over like something that moves them from the traditional kinds we typically see on menus–spicy, hot, BBQ, teriyaki, buffalo, sweet and sour, Korean, crispy, etc.  Here’s the Top 10 Chicken Wings according to About.com…go check it out and see if you find these Sechuan Button & Spicy Blueberry Oven Roasted Wings   on there…nada!  Now don’t confuse ‘sechuan’ with ‘szechuan’ chicken wings–I rather doubt that if you Google recipes you’re going to find that ‘sechuan buttons’ are used in the recipe.  I was introduced to sechuan buttons by my dear friend Karen who owns ‘Crystallized Flower Company’…she’s on the cutting edge of edible flowers, herbs, leaves and other amazing things, so she’s your got to gal for getting them!  Here’s a great article on them from Smithsonian.com!  Also, you probably know the virtues of blueberries, but it never hurts to know more…check out ‘Little Blue Dynamo’!

Makes:  12 wings

Preheat oven to 400

What you need:

12 large chicken wings

1 tsp sea salt

1 tsp coarse ground pepper

3 tbl pepper jelly

2 tbl teriyaki sauce

2 tbl soy sauce

2 tbl rice vinegar

2 tbl balsamic

½ tsp sea salt

¾ tsp red chili flakes

½ lemon (juice and zest)

5 sechuan button tops (no stems) chopped into small pieces  (optional–if you don’t have, not to worry, these will still be great!)

 

 

Blueberry Sauce:

2 tbl butter

½ small jalapeno diced

2 cups frozen blueberries + 1 cup fresh blueberries (divided)

½ lemon (juice and zest)

2 tbl pepper (or jalapeno) jelly

2 tbl brown sugar

¼ cup guavaberry (or similar fruity) liqueur (optional)

 

What you do:

Sprinkle chicken wings with salt/pepper and coat.  In a large bowl, combine the pepper jelly, teriyaki sauce, soy sauce, rice vinegar, balsamic, salt, chili flakes and lemon juice/zest, chopped sechuan buttons and blend.  Add chicken wings and coat well, cover and marinade for about an hour plus.

Meanwhile prepare blueberry sauce.  In a medium heavy skillet over medium heat, melt butter and add jalapenos sautéing about 90 seconds.  Add blueberries and blend. Add lemon juice, zest, pepper jelly, brown sugar and blend.  Increase heat to medium high and add liqueur.  Cook about 3 minutes.  Turn off heat, add fresh blueberries and blend.  Cover with lid and set aside.  Stir before coating on cooked wings.

On a parchment paper covered cookie sheet lay out chicken wings.  Using a spatula get out all the marinade and coat the wings.  Cover loosely with foil.  Roast in an preheated 400 degree oven for about 20-25 minutes.  Remove and using a pastry brush, re-coat the chicken wings well.  Return to oven for 5-10 minutes and let the wings get golden brown.

Remove and coat each wing with a spoonful of the blueberry sauce.  Serve immediately.

©Alice D’Antoni Phillips  Ally’s Kitchen