Momofuku Chicken Wings

Separate the wings into 3 pieces (tips, wings, and drumettes) by cutting at both joints. Reserve wing tips for the tare.

Combine the water, salt, and sugar in a large container with a tightfitting lid or a large resealable plastic bag (at least 4 quarts) and stir until salt and sugar are dissolved.

Add the chicken wings and drumettes to brine mixture, cover, and refrigerate for 1 to 4 hours.To make the tare, heat the oven to 400°F.

Combine the wing tips and 2 tablespoons of the oil in a large ovensafe frying pan and toss to coat. Roast until wing tips are dark golden brown, about 1 hour.

Remove the pan from the oven, place over medium heat, and slowly add sake and soy sauce, scraping up any browned bits with a flat spatula. Simmer over medium heat until reduced by half, about 40 minutes. Strain and set tare aside (discard the wing tips).Once the chicken wings and drumettes have finished brining, heat the duck or pork fat in a large pot with a tightfitting lid over low heat until the fat is 190°F to 200°F.

Drain the wings and drumettes from brine and pat dry with paper towels.

Add the wings and drumettes to hot fat and cook, covered, over very low heat until just cooked through, about 30 to 40 minutes. (Don’t overcook the chicken; there should still be texture and bite to the meat.) When the wings and drumettes are done, remove to a baking dish or baking sheet using a slotted spoon and reserve fat for another use.When ready to finish wings and drumettes, heat the broiler to high and arrange a rack at the top. Broil the wings and drumettes, rotating the pan halfway through, until skin is crisp and golden brown, about 5 minutes. Meanwhile, heat the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil in a large frying pan over medium heat. Once shimmering, add garlic and chiles and cook until softened, about 2 minutes. (Make sure the garlic does not brown.)

Add mirin and cook until the alcohol smell is gone, about 2 minutes.

Add the tare, stir to combine, and cook until the sauce is reduced to a light syruplike consistency, about 10 minutes.

Add the wings and drumettes and toss to coat, top with sliced scallions, and serve.Beverage pairing: Henriot Champagne Brut Souverain NV, France. Sticky, spicy, and sweet finger foods need something clean and tight to maintain balance. This complex Champagne does the trick with flavors of apples and peaches and a slightly smoky edge.