Recipe and photo from Chef Nelson German of Sobre Mesa and alaMar Kitchen & Bar, Oakland, California
Makes 4 servings
3 lbs. chicken party wings (skin on preferred)
¼ c. Maggi Seasoning (use tamari to keep it gluten free)
1 qt. chicken stock/broth (vegetable stock ok)
½ c. chopped garlic
2 small red onions, sliced
3 T. ground cumin
3 T. lemon pepper seasoning
1 T. smoked paprika
7 pitted Mezzetta green olives, chopped
½ c. tomato paste
½ c. Sofrito (recipe below)
2 oranges, zest & juice
¼ c. canola Oil
¼ stick butter
Combine sofrito ingredients in a food processor or blender and blend well. Reserve 1 and half cups of the sofrito for marinating the chicken wings and set the last half cup aside. In a large ziplock bag, place the chicken wings and sofrito. Marinate for 3 hours or overnight.
When ready to cook, preheat a medium aluminum or stainless steel pan with ¼ cup oil for about 5 minutes on medium high heat. This will allow pan to heat up evenly so the chicken will not stick to pan. Add the chicken pieces and cook for 1 minutes or until golden brown then turn. Lower the heat to low then add the onions and garlic to the pan. Sweat down the onion and garlic until soft. Now turn up the heat to high and deglaze with the Maggi Seasoning, turn chicken twice so it can absorb the seasoning.
Add the cumin, smoked paprika and lemon pepper and stock. Bring liquid to a boil and add tomato paste then sofrito, stir both well until dissolved. Add orange zest plus the juice then the olives. .Lower the heat to low and cover with lid; if there is no lid for pan then use aluminum foil. Braise chicken for 30 minutes or until preference of tenderness.
Make some rice and pan fry some sweet plantains for an added Dominican touch. Plate chicken on a platter without sauce, then add a ¼ stick of butter to sauce to sauce and stir until dissolved. Pour sauce over wings and serve.
The Dominican-style Sofrito:
Makes 2 cups
1 bunch cilantro, leaves and stems
12 cloves garlic
1 red onion, chopped
1 green bell pepper, chopped
2 T. kosher salt
1 T. crushed black pepper
½ c. olive oil
Add all ingredients in a food processor and blend until mix is smooth.