Serves 4-6

800g small chicken wings, tip removed and cut in two

For the marinade
4 large garlic cloves, peeled and crushed
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
Juice of ½ lemon, or to taste
Pinch of ground cinnamon
¼ tsp Lebanese 7-spice mixture (or ground allspice)
Pinch of cayenne pepper
Sea salt
¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper

For the aïoli
2 egg yolks
1 garlic clove, peeled and crushed
Sea salt
4-6 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
Juice of ½ lemon, or to taste

Mix the marinade ingredients together in a large bowl. Add the chicken wings and toss to coat well. Leave to marinate for at least 30 minutes, preferably 2 hours, turning the wings regularly.

In the meantime, make the aïoli. Whisk the egg yolks, crushed garlic and a little salt together in a bowl. Then, slowly drizzle in the olive oil, whisking all the time until you have a thick aïoli. Stir in the lemon juice. Taste and adjust the seasoning if necessary and add a little more olive oil if the aïoli is too runny.

Preheat the oven to 200ºC/Gas 6, or your grill to maximum, or heat up a charcoal barbecue. Roast the wings in the oven for 30 minutes, or until crisp on the outside and tender but fully cooked inside. If you are grilling or barbecuing the wings, cook them for at least 10 minutes on each side, or until the skin is slightly charred and the meat is cooked through,

Serve the chicken wings immediately, with the aïoli.

From Modern Mezze by Anissa Helou, Quadrille

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