This is a cheeky twist on a classic caesar salad. The wings are the star, absorbing the flavours of the marinade, then gently crisping up thanks to the last-minute cheesy dusting and garlicky breadcrumbs at the end. It can be served individually or piled high for everyone to tuck in. And it’s surprisingly filling, so makes for a perfect springtime dinner just as it is.
Serves 4
garlic 4 cloves
salted anchovies 4
Worcestershire sauce 1½ tbsp
ground black pepper
olive or rapeseed oil 2 tbsp
chicken wings 12, tip removed (freeze to keep for stock)
white wine vinegar 1 tbsp
mayonnaise 4 heaped tbsp
lemon juice and zest of 1
parmesan 50g, grated, plus extra for shaving
breadcrumbs 40g
butter a small knob
romaine lettuce heads 2, leaves stripped and washed
Crush the garlic cloves and divide into three servings – one measuring ½ teaspoon, and the rest divided into two.
Crush the anchovies and divide into two. In a bowl big enough to hold the wings, mix half the anchovies with the Worcestershire sauce, one of the bigger piles of garlic, 1 teaspoon of black pepper and 1 tablespoon of the oil. Mix in the chicken wings and leave for 1 hour.
Mix the remaining anchovies, the second large portion of garlic and the white wine vinegar with the mayonnaise. Stir in the lemon juice, half the grated parmesan and a crack of black pepper. Mix well.
In a pan, heat the rest of the oil over a medium heat. Add the breadcrumbs and stir to coat in the oil as much as possible. Cook for 8 minutes, watching closely to prevent burning. Once golden, add in the butter, lemon zest and the ½ teaspoon of garlic. Cook for another 2 minutes until golden and crispy, then remove from the heat.
Preheat the oven to 160C fan/gas mark 4. Spread the wings out on an oven tray lined with baking paper and bake for 10 minutes. Turn them over and bake for another 10 minutes. Remove, turn the oven up to 190C fan/gas mark 6½, and pour out any liquid that may have formed in the tray. Transfer the wings to a bowl, sprinkle with the other half of the grated parmesan and lay back on to the baking tray, facing up. Scrape out any leftover cheese and top the wings with them. Bake for another 8-10 minutes until golden and crisp in part.
Tear any bigger lettuce leaves into two or three pieces. Dress the leaves with most of the mayonnaise dressing, mixing in with your hands to ensure the leaves are well covered. Reserve a little dressing to add to each plate to dunk the wings into. Split the dressed leaves between four plates. Top with three chicken wings per plate, the crispy breadcrumbs and more parmesan shaved directly on to each plate.
Melissa Thompson is a food writer and author of Motherland (Bloomsbury, £26)
