With Gran Ducay CAVA, Yarden Galilee Chardonnay 2021
The pineapple and stone fruit flavours in the wine quite often create a third savoury umami flavour which makes everything extra delicious
Easy soy sauce chicken wings
Ingredients:
200g of chicken wings, pat dry
4-6 slices of gingers
1 bunch of spring onion; white parts cut into chunks; green parts thinly sliced for garnish
4 gloves of garlic, sliced
150ml of light soy sauce
80ml of dark soy sauce
30g of yellow rock sugar
2 tablespoons of Shaoxing rice wine (can use Japanese sake or Korean soju as substitutes); plus extra for brushing the chicken wings
200ml of water
2 pieces of whole star anise (optional)
2 bay leaves (optional)
Sea salt, to taste
Pepper, to taste
Methods:
Brush the chicken wings with some Shaoxing rice wine or substitutes; sprinkle a generous pinch of sea salt and some pepper; gently massage them into the chicken wings and set aside
Heat up a tablespoon of olive oil in a deep cast iron pot in medium heat. Test the oil by inserting a chopstick to the oil, if bubbles form around the chopstick, it means the oil is hot enough. (See "how to test oil"). Fry the ginger, spring onions and garlic until they release the aromas
Add the wine and stir quickly for half a minute; add the light soy sauce, dark soy sauce, star anise and bay leave if using. Let the liquid boil then add the rock sugar. Turn down the heat and stir until the sugars are incorporated to the liquid
Gently add the chicken wings to the pot and lay them out evenly for better colouring; close the lid and simmer for 15 minutes; check that the wings are not stuck to the bottle of the pot in between, stir gentle if the wings start to stick; turn the chicken wings upside down and simmer for another 15 minutes with lid on. Check if they stick again and stir if needed
Switch off the heat after the second round of simmering. Close the lid and let it stand for another 20-25 minutes. Open the lid, insert a piece of chopstick to the chicken wings, if the meat is soft without and red liquid coming out, it is done
Move the chicken wings into a serving plate, re-heat the cooking liquid in the meantime. Pour some of the warm cooking liquid to the chicken wings and add the green parts of the spring onion for garnish
Tips:
Test that the oil is hot enough by dipping the tip of a wooden chopstick to the oil; bubbles will form around the chopstick if the oil is hot enough
A more authentic and advanced version of this recipe is to simmer a whole c
Wine pairing:
The first wine I chose for this dish is the Gran Ducay CAVA. This CAVA is a sparkling wine made in the traditional method in Spain. On the nose, it presents a bouquet of baked apples, lemon zest and a hint of yeast. On the palate, the wine is dry, with a fine and persistent bubble and flavours of green apple, lemon, and a minerality. The acidity is refreshing, making it a great choice as an aperitif or with light food pairings.
Pairing this CAVA with the soy sauce chicken wings is a safe and easy option. With the high acidity, this CAVA cuts through saltiness of the soy sauce; and the richness and fattiness of the chicken wings.
The second wine I chose is a chardonnay from the Golan Height Winery from Israel - Yarden Galilee Chardonnay 2021. This Israeli Chardonnay from the Galilee region presents a bright and fresh profile with aromas of green apple, pear and a hint of citrus. On the palate, the wine is well balanced with a good acidity and a medium body, showcasing flavours of ripe stone fruit, pineapple, and a touch of oak from aging in wood barrels. The finish is crisp and clean. I really love this wine.
With the good acidity and the crispy finish, it again goes well with the rich flavour of the soy sauce dish. But what makes it a perfect match is the pineapple and stone fruit flavour in this wine. Since the soy sauce chicken dish has quite a special sweet flavour to it, the stone fruit and pineapple flavour in the wine wraps up the sweetness in the dish and creates a lovely fruity flavour. The touch of oak in the wine makes it strong enough to withstand the rich flavour of the dish but not too overwhelming, creating a perfect balance. And it quite often creates a third savoury umami flavour which makes everything extra delicious.
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