October (Crystal)

Tempeh Hot “Wings”

1 package tempeh
Seasoned breadcrumbs
Flour
1 cup milk
Hot wing sauce, prepared* or store bought

*Hot Wing Sauce*
½ cup hot sauce (i.e. Crystal’s or Frank’s)
3 tbsp. butter
¼ cup ketchup
Melt the butter and mix in the hot sauce and ketchup.

Preheat the oven to 350°F

1. Slice tempeh into ¼ inch wide strips.

2. Boil the tempeh for 10 minutes, until it swells slightly; drain and cool.

3. Place the bread crumbs, milk, and flour in separate bowls.

4. Dip a slice of tempeh in the milk, roll it in the flour, then dip in milk again.

5. Roll the tempeh in the bread crumbs.

6. Place on a baking sheet.

7. Bake for 10 minutes, turn over, and bake 10 minutes longer or until golden brown.

8. While the “wings” are baking, prepare your hot wing sauce.

9. Dump the “wings” into a bowl, pour the hot wing sauce over them, and mix gently until evenly coated.

Gastrography

Even when I ate meat, I was always surprised by how much I enjoyed eating hot wings; eating them seemed like an impractical, messy, and somewhat strange social ritual. There was something particularly satisfying about getting those little pieces of meat off of the bones and getting hot sauce all over my hands and face. My brother would never eat hot wings; we hardly ever ate meat with bones in it, and he hated the sensation of visualizing the animal structure of his food. I always thought that he would be a vegetarian before I ever would.

I don’t miss eating wings, but once I went for days just craving that signature hot and spicy sauce. I tried to imagine what else I could put it on, and this recipe was born. Tempeh is perfect because it holds together so well and has a very hearty texture. Smothered in hot sauce, these “wings” satisfy my nostalgic desire to burn my tongue with spice and like sauce from my fingers while still allowing all those little buffalo to keep their wings.