Neighborhood Eats: Lollipop Wings with Honey BBQ Sauce from Cioffi's Boarwalk
UNION, N.J. (WABC) -- Summer has come and gone, but that tastes of summer have stayed thanks to Cioffi's Boardwalk. The Cioffi family loves their time at the Jersey shore so much they opened a restaurant that's a tribute to those summer days.
You might not smell the sea air or feel the sand, but Cioffi's Boardwalk on route 22 in Union certainly offers the kind of fare that would be found at the shore.
There are their poppers stuffed with mac and cheese, or pepperoni, or cheesesteak. There's a bacon and cheese stuffed burger, zeppoles and deep fried Oreos. Some say they come in for the cheesesteak, made with hand cut ribeye.
And then there are the pop wings. Part of the wing is de-boned and the skin and meat cut is pushed to the top, creating what looks like a lollipop. The chicken is then tossed with salt, pepper and flour and it's into the fryer.
And a little blue cheese, offering something to dip into - since you can't quite dip into the sea.
Cioffi's Boardwalk Lollipop Wings
Makes 2 dozen
Ingredients
2-doz. chicken legs
3 C Flour
2 T Kosher Salt
2 T cracked Black Pepper
1 GL Oil (for a deep fat fryer)
half head of shredded iceberg lettuce
1/2 C Blue Cheese Dressing (PURCHASE AT ANY SUPERMARKET)
Directions
Heat Oil to 375 degrees. Take chicken leg by the fat part, pull tight. In a circular motion cut the skin to the bone, push meat to the top, making sure there is a space between the top and the bottom. Cut the tendon on each side of the wing, separate the meat from the small bone, pull the bone out, french bone the remaining piece, push the meat to the top. (When fried, the meat will move away from where it was cut.) Sprinkle salt and pepper over Wings, mix thoroughly, put wings in flour and toss. When oil is hot, place wings in oil carefully, let cook for 12 minutes.
Home cooks: if frying in a frying pan, turn over at 6-minutes to cook evenly on both sides. When cooked through, put on draining rack and let cool for 1-2 minutes.
Take chicken by the handle and dip in sauce. Do not get handle sauced! Lay on bed of lettuce. Serve immediatley with side of Blue Cheese
Honey BBQ Sauce Ingredients
3 C BBQ Sauce
1/2 C Light Brown Sugar
1/4 C Spicy Brown Mustard
1/2 C Honey
Directions
Mix together and heat at 300 degrees for 15 minutes. Miix again after taken out of oven. NOTE - leftover sauce may be stored for up to two weeks in the fridge.
