Recipe: Sesame-Seeded Teriyaki Wings and Homemade Teriyaki Sauce

SESAME-SEEDED TERIYAKI WINGS

"Teriyaki wings, delightfully sticky and crunchy with sesame seeds (not traditional but good), are one of my favorite meals or appetizers. Frequent basting and even cooking at a moderate temperature produce a gorgeous mahogany glaze. Mirin, a Japanese sweet cooking wine, and sake make this dish authentic, but you can substitute honey and white wine, respectively."

FOR THE TERIYAKI SAUCE (makes about 1 cup):
1/2 cup mirin (or honey)
1/2 cup sake (or white wine)
1/2 cup soy sauce
2 tablespoons sugar
2 (1/4-inch) slices of fresh ginger

FOR THE CHICKEN:
4 1/2 to 5 pounds chicken wings (20 to 25 wings)
2 tablespoons honey (optional)
2 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds (optional)

TO MAKE THE TERIYAKI SAUCE:
Heat the Teriyaki Sauce ingredients in a small saucepan over medium-low heat. Stir to dissolve the sugar. Bring to a boil and simmer on low another 10 minutes to thicken the sauce. Cool. Remove ginger and discard. (Sauce may be stored sealed in a jar, refrigerated, up to 1 week.)

TO MARINATE THE CHICKEN:
If cooking the wings whole, tuck the wing tips under the drummette to form a triangle. For smaller pieces (good for appetizers and snacks), cut the wings through their joints; you may leave the tips attached or cut them off and save for stock. (I like to nibble on the crispy tips, so I leave them on.)

Combine chicken with the teriyaki sauce; cover and refrigerate 4 hours or up to overnight. Turn the wings occasionally so all pieces absorb flavor evenly.

WHEN READY TO COOK:
Heat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a sheet pan with foil for easy clean-up. Lightly spritz the foil with nonstick vegetable spray or grease with vegetable oil.

Arrange the wings on the foil with the more attractive presentation-side facing down, and the underside facing up. (Boil the marinade for a few minutes in a small saucepan.) Mix 2 tablespoons of the marinade with the honey and set aside.

Bake the chicken for 10 minutes, then remove the pan from the oven. Baste the underside with the marinade, and return the pan to the oven, rotating it front to back so the chicken cooks evenly. Cook 10 minutes.

Remove the pan, baste, flip the pieces over so the presentation side now faces up. Baste the presentation side. Return the pan to the oven, again rotating the pan. Cook 10 more minutes. Baste the wings and rotate the pan. Cook 10 minutes.

Finally, remove the pan from the oven. Baste the presentation side with the marinade once, and again with the honey-marinade mixture. Sprinkle the sesame seeds on top and drizzle any remaining honey-marinade over the seeds. Bake another 5 minutes, or until wings are a deep mahogany color. (Total cooking time is 55 minutes.)

Serve warm or at room temperature.

SERVING SUGGESTIONS:
As a meal, these wings pair well with rice and a cucumber salad. Or serve as an appetizer or snack.

Serves 6 as an entree, or 10 to 12 as an appetizer
Source: A Chicken in Every Pot by Kate Heyhoe