Kicked Up Chicken Wings with Blue Cheese Dipping Sauce

• 2 1/2 pounds chicken wings, tips removed and cut in half at joint, rinsed and wiped dry
• 1/2 cup red hot pepper sauce
• 1 teaspoon cracked black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 6 cups vegetable oil, for frying
• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon Essence, recipe follows
• Blue Cheese Dipping Sauce, recipe follows
• 2 1/2 tablespoons paprika
• 2 tablespoons salt
• 2 tablespoons garlic powder
• 1 tablespoon black pepper
• 1 tablespoon onion powder
• 1 tablespoon cayenne pepper
• 1 tablespoon dried leaf oregano
• 1 tablespoon dried thyme
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 1/4 cup heavy cream
• 8 ounces blue cheese
• 1 teaspoon hot red pepper sauce
• 1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire
• 1/2 teaspoon salt

1. In a large shallow, non-reactive bowl combine the chicken, hot sauce, pepper, and salt, and toss well to combine.
2. Cover the chicken with plastic wrap, refrigerate, and let marinate, for at least 1 hour, and up to 3 hours.
3. In a heavy pot, heat the oil to 360 degrees F.
4. In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour and 2 tablespoons Essence.
5. Remove the chicken from the marinade and add to the flour 1 at a time, tossing to coat evenly.
6. Add the chicken in 2 batches to the hot oil and cook, turning occasionally, until brown on all sides and cooked through, 6 to 8 minutes.
7. Remove the chicken wings from the fryer with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels.
8. Sprinkle with the remaining Essence and serve immediately with Blue Cheese Dipping Sauce.
9. Combine all ingredients thoroughly and store in an airtight jar or container.
10. Yield: about 2/3 cup
11. Recipe from "New New Orleans Cooking", by Emeril Lagasse and Jessie Tirsch.
12. Published by William and Morrow, 1993.
13. Place all the ingredients in a food processor or blender and process on high speed until smooth, about 2 minutes.
14. Pour into a decorative bowl.

chicken, red hot pepper sauce, cracked black pepper, salt, vegetable oil, flour, dipping sauce, paprika, salt, garlic, black pepper, onion powder, cayenne pepper, dried leaf oregano, thyme, sour cream, heavy cream, blue cheese, hot red pepper sauce, worcestershire, salt

Taken from www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/emeril-lagasse/kicked-up-chicken-wings-with-blue-cheese-dipping-sauce-recipe.html (may not work)