PEPPADEW® HOT WINGS with BLUE CHEESE DIP

Seeing as we are in Heritage month with National Heritage Day, also popularly known as Braai Day, coming up on Thursday, I thought it would be appropriate to share a recipe that can be whipped up on the old barbie! These hot wings are perfect for spring and summer entertaining - enjoy them around the braai with friends, serve them up at your next party or munch on them while you cheer on the Springboks (she said optimistically)!

I was first introduced to this blue cheese dip whilst living in London. One sunny Saturday my husband and I were exploring posh Chelsea and stopped for lunch at a basement restaurant on Kings Road. The tables were covered with red and white chequered tablecloths and the walls were plastered with bright, gaudy posters. We ordered and expectations sank lower when we were presented with massive white plastic bibs before our meal, but we were completely unprepared for the fantastic hot wings that were served to us that day. From then on we were converted! 

A few weeks later we found ourselves trying to kill time on a long stop-over at Los Angeles International Airport. The departure area was tiny with very few shops and only a few television screens showing the same 10 minute video of a Shakira concert on repeat (those images will be burnt onto my brain for all eternity!). It was early evening and we managed to get a table at a restaurant and ordered, you guessed it, the hot wings. These airport establishments tend to get customers in and out in a hurry and we did not manage to waste as much time as we had hoped, but at least it was a delicious 20 minutes! With the added bonus of being away from those tv screens. 

The special ingredient in today's recipe is Peppadew® Tomato and Jalapeño Chillies Pasta Sauce. When I tasted the delicious combination of tomato and chilli I immediately thought of this dish, the sauce has a rich and tasty flavour that works brilliantly with chicken. There are five delicious variants in the Peppadew® pasta sauce range and they can be used in lots of ways, did you see this tortilla pizza recipe I shared recently?  This is a very versatile range, so you can think out of the (pasta) box and really get creative. 

Image courtesy of Peppadew® 

Cooks tip - the dipping sauce can be made ahead of time, even the day before. Keep the dip covered in the fridge until you need it. And if it is a rainy day and the braai is out of action you can also roast the chicken wings in the oven at 200°C until cooked through before tossing them in the sauce. 
Oh, and have those wet wipes at the ready, because these wings are finger-licking delicious! 

The Peppadew® Pasta Sauces are available at Pick 'n Pay and Spar stores nationally and at Shoprite Checkers Gauteng and KZN. 

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HOT WINGS with BLUE CHEESE DIP

Makes approximately 32 wings

100g blue cheese

175ml sour cream

2 tbsp mayonnaise

1/4 tsp crushed garlic

pinch of salt

black pepper

1kg chicken wings

1 x 400g jar Peppadew® Tomato and Jalapeño Chillies Pasta Sauce

Step 1.) To make the dip: place the blue cheese in a small mixing bowl and mash with a fork. Add the sour cream and mix well. Add the mayonnaise and garlic. Whisk very well until everything is combined and most of the lumps of cheese have been incorporated. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Transfer to a serving bowl, cover and refrigerate. 

Step 2.) Trim the tips off the chicken wings. Cut each wing in half at the joint. Take 100ml of the pasta sauce and brush this over the chicken wings. 

Step 3.) Cook the chicken wings over the hot coals until crispy and cooked through. While the chicken is cooking gently heat the remaining pasta sauce in the microwave or on the stove. 

Step 4.) Place the cooked chicken wings straight into the warmed pasta sauce. Toss well, then transfer to a warmed serving plate. Serve immediately with the blue cheese dip, (and perhaps some wet wipes!). 

Disclaimer: This post is sponsored by Peppadew®. Recipe, images and words are my own.