Make Your Memorial Day Sizzle with #SpicyChat Recipes!

I can not being to count the endless number of times my fellow foodies, friends, and family have mentioned that the food just isn’t ‘spicy‘ enough. And to appease their palate, I invariably found them reaching for the Indian spicy pickle or fresh green chilies. Eventually one day I invited my spice obsessed friends to a dinner party with the predominant theme, spicy food. I devised a menu from appetizer to dessert with each dish being spicy. Needless to say, that was one evening I didn’t hear my guests complain about the lack of spiciness.  My friend’s 7 year old daughter devoured the spicy wings which even I was too terrified to try.

With the All American Holiday – Memorial Day coinciding with #SpicyChat, it seemed the ideal opportunity to re-create the infamous spicy wings.  To finish it off on a ‘spicy’ yet sweet note, Chef Jason Rivas is sharing his Cayenne Chocolate Chip Cookies.

With Memorial Day marking the unofficial start of summer, it’s also grilling season! Either you are invited to someone’s backyard pool party or you are personally hosting a BBQ party. Memorial Day parties are about family and friends getting together in a casual atmosphere surrounded with an orgy of meat, cocktails, and scintillating company. So many of us are guilty of slaving away in the kitchen or standing at a grill all day, and we end up missing the party. Keeping that in mind, I created Fiery Agave Glazed Wings, a perennial crowd pleaser, and the best part is that you can cook them in advance.

I have an extra special treat for you this #SpicyChat edition. Chef Jason Rivas has magnanimously shared his scrumptious recipe for Cayenne Chocolate Chip Cookies with us. In his own words:

Classically French trained, but a southwestern at heart! Chef is born and raised in California of Hispanic descent (without the looks).  My passion for food started at a very early age when I used to eat snails in my back yard garden.  While attending the Scottsdale Culinary Ins., I was able to learn a new way to apply the creative, artistic side of who I was. After graduation, I spent an additional four years in Phoenix learning the finer points of Southwestern Cuisine.  I traveled from coast to coast learning all about food, before settling in the Southern California wine country.  Upon settling, I discovered the true value and impact of food and wine – rather wine and food.  One can always change the food, but you can never change the wine once it’s in the bottle.   Currently I am honing my craft while enjoying fine wines at SouthCoast Winery.

 

Finger Licking Fiery Agave Glazed Wings

To be honest I am not an advocate of greasy, fried food, not to mention the mess frying creates in the kitchen.  These baked chicken wings get an extra boost of flavor from marinating the meat over night and with the fiery heat scale, you won’t even notice that these are not fried. To achieve the balance of savory and sweet, I am serving these wings with an Indian spiced Pineapple Chutney for when you felt the need to cool down. Yes, these are super spicy!!

 

Ingredients:

• 4-pounds chicken wings
• 2 poblano peppers, roasted and peeled
• 4 habanero chilies + 1
• 4 serrano chilies
• 1 tablespoon dry mustard
• 2 teaspoons kosher salt or to taste
• 2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon powder
• 1 teaspoon cumin powder
• 4 scallions, white and green parts
• vegetable oil
• 4 garlic cloves
• 1/2 cup agave syrup
• 1/2 pineapple, grilled
• 1/2 cup pineapple juice
• 1/4 apple cider vinegar

Directions:

1. Blend all chilies, scallions, and garlic with 4 tablespoons vegetable or olive oil until smooth. Add all the dry spices and blend. Marinate the wings overnight in the sauce.
2. Pre heat the oven to 400 degrees. Bake the wings on a baking sheet in a single layer for 30 minutes. Flip the wings and bake for an additional 20 minutes.
3. While the wings are baking, make the pineapple glaze. On medium heat, boil grilled pineapple, agave syrup, pineapple juice, and 1 habenero for 15 minutes. Puree in a blender.
4. Once the wings are cooked, using a pastry brush, apply the pineapple glaze on each wing and broil for 3 minutes. Flip the wings, apply the glaze again, and broil for an additional 3-5 minutest until the wings are browned. Serve hot with Indian Spiced Pineapple Chutney.

Indian Spiced Pineapple Chutney

Ingredients:

• 1/2 pineapple, grilled and diced
• 2/3 cup sugar
• 1 heaped tablespoon grated fresh ginger
• 1 tablespoon red chili powder
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 5 garlic cloves, chopped
• 1 tablespoon roasted cumin powder
• 1 cup red wine vinegar
• 1/2 cup water

Directions:

1. Place diced pineapple, ginger, garlic, and 1/2 cup of water over medium heat. Simmer until the pineapple is soft, around 15 minutes.
2. Add sugar, red chili powder, salt, cumin, and vinegar. Stir well and boil over medium high heat till the sauce is thick and glossy.
3. Cool and serve with wings.

 

Cayenne Chocolate Chip Cookies

 

Chef Jason’s cookies are soft and gooey with a zingy surprise in the end. It is the perfect dessert to end your #SpicyChat Memorial Day party. Thank you Chef Jason for sharing these delectable cookies with us. My taste testers and myself couldn’t get enough of these delicious goodies. Thankfully the batch makes 24 cookies.

 

 

Follow Chef Jason on Twitter for more of his wonderful recipes!! Or you can find him whipping up his next deliciousness at SouthCoast Winery.

 

 

Be proud to be an American, fly the flag, and bring some zing in your party with #SpicyChat. Happy Memorial Day!!

 

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