Serves 6
24 chicken wings (winglet removed)
Marinade
1 tablespoon saffron threads
1/2 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 tablespoon grated lemon zest
2 cups milk
1/2 cup finely chopped shallots
1 teaspoon aniseeds
3 cloves garlic
2 tablespoons salt
1 To prepare the chicken, make a small incision with a paring knife at the narrow end of the winglet. Scrape down on the bone, pushing the meat down to form a lollipop-like shape as the bone is exposed.
2 To prepare the marinade, soak the saffron threads in the lemon juice for 10 minutes. Combine with the zest, milk, shallots, aniseeds, garlic and salt in a blender and pulse for 30 seconds.
3 In a baking pan with sides, stand all the chicken wings straight up. Pour the marinade over the wings and refrigerate overnight.
4 Preheat the oven to 400F. Bake the wings for 8 minutes only. Remove them from the oven and let stand for about 1 hour. This step is necessary to blanch the wings slightly and set their shape before they go on the hot grill.
5 Prepare a medium fire in the grill/BBQ
6 Drain the wings. Oil the grate. Place the wings on the hot grate and grill for about 10 minutes, turning them with tongs occassionally.
7 Transfer the wings to a serving platter and serve
