Chicken Wing

My father, who in his later years has become a superb cook, always longed to make at home the chicken wings he ordered in Asian restaurants. This is the recipe I developed to satisfy his cravings. Many Chinese restaurants deep-fry the wings, but the high-heat roasted method used here is far healthier and the taste is delicious.

Though it's not essential to make both sauces for these wings, we think the contrast between the rich peanut sauce and the light-yet-spicy gai yang — a classic Thai sauce for poultry — is a flavor combination that shouldn't be missed.

Traditional recipes for mole poblano call for several varieties of dried chilies, which, outside the Southwest, are available only at specialty foods stores or by mail order; as well as sesame seeds and/or pumpkin seeds and/or peanuts; roasted tomatoes; and chocolate; among other things. A mole can sound like a peculiar combination of ingredients, but at its best it is every bit as subtle and well balanced as the most evolved French sauce. Our quick version uses only ingredients available at the supermarket, and broiled, not fried, chicken, which makes the dish easier to prepare, lighter, and most important, still delicious---if not exactly authentic.

Le Cirque's elegant take on roast chicken.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

The two-pronged cooking method used for these wings —incorporating both braising and deep-frying — is a takeoff on the Chinese technique of steaming, then frying. We think it keeps the meat unbelievably tender while getting the skin supercrispy. Be sure to allow 2 hours for the wings to marinate.

(Spicy Baked Chicken Wings)

These chicken wings need to marinate for at least 8 hours — we recommend putting them in the refrigerator before you go to bed so they'll be ready for roasting the next day. The deep, almost beeflike flavor of these wings comes from the red wine in the marinade; both the wings and the mayonnaise get a boost from the Spanish smoked paprika.

This is a dish you might be served in a café in the Middle East. It's simple and flavorful and makes a quick dinner; it's also great for a picnic.

The stock recipe yields 8 cups; there will be about 1 1/2 cups left over after you make the mushroom soup. To prepare the mushrooms for this soup, wipe them clean with a damp paper towel. Be sure to cut off the stems from fresh shiitakes. If using morels, rinse quickly to dislodge any dirt from crevices.

For this traditional Asian fondue, raw strips of chicken are cooked quickly at the table in a pot of boiling broth. Guests then place the cooked chicken strips on lettuce leaves, add noodles and whatever garnishes they choose, roll up the leaves and complete the packages with a bit of the Sweet-and-Spicy Dipping Sauce. When all of the chicken has been eaten, divide the remaining broth among the guests.

"Not long ago I dined at the Cobalt Tavern in San Francisco's North Beach," writes Georgia Ewing of Edina, Minnesota. "The sage-roasted chicken by chef Guy Ferri was excellent. Any chance he'd share the recipe?"