Ingredients

For brining the wings:

¼ cup brown sugar

¼ cup kosher salt

¼ cup lemon juice

2 tablespoons granulated sugar

2 tablespoons Thai fish sauce

2 tablespoons soy sauce

1 tablespoon smoked paprika

3 garlic cloves, peeled

Stems from 1 bunch fresh cilantro

16 large whole chicken wings

For the guajillo sauce:

3 dried guajillo chiles

1 dried ancho chile

5 garlic cloves, peeled

1 small shallot, roughly chopped

1 ½ teaspoons soy sauce

1 ½ teaspoons Thai fish sauce

1 ½ tablespoons freshly ground black pepper

Rinds and pulp of 2 juiced lemons, coarsely chopped

¼ teaspoon smoked paprika

6 white anchovy fillets

1 tablespoon finely ground chamomile flowers (finely ground pure chamomile “tea” may be used)

½ cup fresh lemon juice

1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt, or to taste

To roast and serve:

¼ cup melted clarified butter or ghee

Preparation

Brine the wings:

  1. In a large bowl, combine the brown sugar, kosher salt, lemon juice, granulated sugar, fish sauce, soy sauce and smoked paprika. Add 2 quarts of water and mix well. Add the garlic, cilantro stems and chicken wings. Mix, cover, and refrigerate for 7 to 14 hours.
  2. Remove wings from marinade, rinse and transfer to a sheet pan with a rack. Allow to sit uncovered until dry and slightly tacky to the touch, 30 to 45 minutes.

Prepare the guajillo sauce:

  1. Cut stem and cap off the guajillo and ancho chiles and remove the seeds; if the chiles are very brittle, warm them briefly in a skillet to soften. Sauté in a dry skillet until the skins change color and begin to smoke heavily, 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer to a container and cover with hot water. Soak until softened, 30 to 45 minutes.
  2. Drain chiles and place in a food processor. Add garlic, shallot, soy sauce, fish sauce, black pepper, lemons, smoked paprika, white anchovies, chamomile, lemon juice and salt. Purée until smooth.

To roast and serve:

  1. Heat oven to 400 degrees. Brush wings with butter or ghee and roast until the internal temperature reaches 160 degrees, about 20 minutes. (Alternatively, the wings could be smoked with your choice of wood at 225 degrees for 2 1/2 hours.)
  2. Baste wings again with butter or ghee, increase oven temperature to 450 and continue to roast until the skins are brown and crispy, 10 to 15 minutes more. (Alternatively, the wings may be deep-fried at 350 degrees until golden brown and crisp, 8 to 10 minutes.) Allow wings to rest at room temperature for 10 minutes.
  3. To serve, slather wings with a generous amount of guajillo sauce