SERVES 3 TO 4 AS A LIGHT MAIN COURSE, 5 TO 6 AS AN HORS D’OEUVRE
This is a dish I designed years before China Moon opened, when we had a lease on a very spiffy restaurant site adjacent to the San Francisco Opera House that was to have a wine bar and a grill. In my dreams, I still serve these chicken wings to throngs of glamorous opera-goers, who glitter with jewels and toast Pavarotti with Champagne.
This is a simple dish to do, for four if not a hundred. The chicken wings are good hot or cold, cooked on the grill or in the broiler. Marinate them for as long as you can; they get better and better.
MARINADE:
Grated zest of 2 large scrubbed oranges
1½ tablespoons finely minced garlic
1½ tablespoons finely minced fresh ginger
2 hefty scallions, cut into 1-inch nuggets, smashed
¼ cup soy sauce
¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons Ma-La Oil (page 17) or Five-Flavor Oil (page 13)
2 tablespoons China Moon Chili-Orange Oil (page 15)
1 teaspoon Roasted Szechwan Pepper-Salt (page 5)
3 pounds (about 15) fresh plump chicken wings
Coriander sprigs, for garnish
1. Whisk together all of the marinade ingredients to combine. Add the chicken wings to the marinade and toss well to coat. Set aside at cool room temperature for several hours or refrigerate for up to 2 days. Toss occasionally to redistribute the marinade. The longer the marination, the better the flavor. Let come to room temperature before grilling.
2. Drain the wings and reserve the excess marinade. Grill the wings, skin side down, over moderately hot coals (just beginning to wear a jacket of white ash) until scored by the grill rack, about 6 minutes. Baste the wings with the reserved marinade as they grill. Turn over and grill and baste the second side until the juices run clear when the tip of a knife is poked into the thickest part of the wing.
3. Pile the wings on a large festive platter, garnish with the coriander sprigs, and serve.
MENU SUGGESTIONS: The chicken wings would be perfect with a salad of baby greens tossed with Fresh Ginger Vinaigrette (page 24). Steamed corn sprinkled with Roasted Szechwan Pepper-Salt (page 5) would be another ideal partner.