About Malcolm Bedell of Rockland, ME
I am one-half of the food blogging team at FromAway.com. On our website, we examine not just the diverse food culture of the state of Maine, but also cook globally-influenced recipes that our readers can reproduce right in their own home kitchens.
Beware of the "Ghost Chile" in my wings. Until 2011, the Bhut Jolokia (or "Ghost Chile) was recognized by the Guinness World Records as the spiciest chile pepper in existence. It registers anywhere up to 1,041,427 Scoville units, making it more than 200 times hotter than the humble jalapeno.
The solution to the heat is to balance the it with an equal amount of sweetness: in this case, a whole jar of apricot jam, brown sugar, and honey, with only a half teaspoon of the ground Bhut Jolokia. The first taste that your brain registers is fruity sweetness; it's only after you chew and swallow (and repeat) that the heat clings to the back of your throat and wraps itself around your tongue.
In a small saucepan over medium heat, combine brown sugar, honey, garlic, butter, ketchup, ground Ghost chile, apricot preserves, and salt. Bring to a boil, stirring almost constantly. Reduce heat to a simmer, add bourbon, and stir. Simmer until sauce reaches desired consistency, up to one hour.
In a large saucepan over medium heat, bring peanut oil to 350 degrees. Working in batches, pat chicken wing sections until they are very dry, and add to hot oil. Fry wings, turning occasionally, until golden brown, about ten minutes per batch. Transfer to paper towels to drain.
When all wings are cooked, toss a few at a time in a bowl of the apricot Ghost chile sauce to coat evenly. Serve (with a glass of milk, just in case)
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