Halloween Goes Batty
Spook your Halloween party guests with these savory chicken "bat" wings.
Years ago, the only food I thought about on Halloween was chocolate-covered candy bars. I went for the same costume every year: a face dirtied by a burnt cork, a flannel shirt and a tattered sport jacket.
Hordes of similarly clad young "hoboes" went from door to door throughout the neighborhood, and we always visited the houses where they were handing out the better treats. The biggest prizes of all were full-size candy bars - Snickers, Chunky Bars, 3 Musketeers, Sky Bars, Mounds, Almond Joy, Baby Ruth, 5th Avenue, Butterfinger and Clark Bars. No wonder our semi-annual trips to the dentist were like something from the Spanish Inquisition.
Since then, Halloween has become much more than a night for youngsters to trick or treat. Adults gather in costume or regular clothes to enjoy some good-hearted, spooky fun. It's a great time for a ghostly gathering with Halloween-themed refreshments, eerie music on the stereo and maybe a copy of Dracula playing on the TV in the background.
When we did the "Holiday Table" series on WQED tv13, the episodes on Halloween were some of the most popular. Here's a recipe for chicken wings that look eerily like Dracula's pet bats.
"Bat" Wings
Serves 5 |
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Ingredients:
20 small chicken wings
1 cup ketchup
1/4 cup molasses
2 tablespoons garlic, minced
1 tablespoon ginger, minced
1 bay leaf
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
3 tablespoons cider vinegar
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon black pepper, ground
2 tablespoons red wine or dark beer
2 tablespoons dry mustard
1 tablespoon Tabasco sauce or dried chili flakes (optional)
4 tablespoons cilantro leaves, chopped (for garnish)
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Instructions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Bake the chicken wings until they are just cooked, about 45 minutes to an hour. Set aside to cool. Combine all ingredients, except the chicken wings and cilantro, in a blender and mix until smooth. Pour into a nonreactive pot and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and allow the sauce to simmer for about 10 minutes. Put the chicken wings into a large bowl and pour the sauce over them. Coat the wings well, then place them in a single layer on a parchment-paper-lined baking sheet. Bake for about 7 to 10 minutes, or until the wings are heated all the way through. Sprinkle cilantro over wings for garnish.
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| Bloody Mary Soup |
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Ingredients:
2 tablespoons butter
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1 stalk celery, finely chopped
1 tablespoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon celery seed
1 can (28-ounce) Italian plum tomatoes
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
Juice of 1 lemon
Salt and pepper to taste
Tabasco sauce (optional)
Celery leaves
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Instructions:
Melt the butter in a 3-quart saucepan. Sweat the onions, garlic and celery until soft and translucent, about 3 minutes. Add the sugar, celery seed and tomatoes (including juice). Bring to a boil and then simmer for 5 minutes. Use an immersion blender to puree the soup mixture. Season with Worcestershire sauce, lemon juice, salt, pepper and Tabasco sauce. Ladle into bowls and garnish with celery leaves.
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