Smoked Wallaby Wings

Prep Time 45 mins
Cook Time 180 mins
Total Time 3 hrs 45 mins
Cooking Temp: 110  C
Ingredients
  • For the Wallaby Wings & Smoke:
  • 12 wallaby wings (forelegs)
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • Sea salt and cracked black pepper
  • ½ cup loose-leaf black tea
  • ½ cup dried wild fennel fronds and stalks (plus 1 tsp crushed fennel seeds)
  • ¼ cup brown sugar (helps develop color and carry the smoke)
  • For the Chickpea & Pistachio Hummus:
  • 1 can chickpeas, drained (reserve a little liquid) (400g)
  • ½ cup raw pistachios, shelled (blanched and skinned for a brighter green colour)
  • 2 tbsp tahini
  • 1 garlic clove, minced
  • Juice of 1 lemon
  • ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
  • Ice water (as needed for emulsification)
  • Salt and ground cumin to taste
  • For the Garnish & Assembly:
  • 1 fresh pomegranate, seeded, 1 bunch fresh mint leaves, Purple sweet potato crisps
Instructions
  1. 1
    Prep: Pat the wallaby wings dry. Toss with olive oil, sea salt, cracked black pepper, and a touch of crushed fennel seed. Let them sit at room temperature while preparing the smoker. Mix the black tea, wild fennel, and brown sugar together. If using a traditional hot smoker, set it up for indirect cooking at a low temperature (around 110°C / 230°F). Place the tea and fennel mixture over the heat source to generate a dense, aromatic smoke. If you are using a wok add 2 layers of alfoil on the bottom then the tea mix on top. Smoked for about 90 minutes, quickly flash the wings in a hot pan for 1–2 minutes right before plating.
  2. 2
    Make the Chickpea & Pistachio Hummus
  3. 3
    Blend the Base: In a food processor, blend the pistachios, garlic, lemon juice, and tahini until it forms a thick paste. Add the drained chickpeas and a pinch of cumin and salt. Process until smooth.
  4. 4
    Emulsify: With the motor running, slowly drizzle in the extra virgin olive oil. If the hummus is too dense, add a splash of the reserved chickpea liquid or a tablespoon of ice water until you achieve that perfectly smooth, spreadable consistency.
  5. 5
    Taste and adjust seasoning.
  6. 6
    Plating and Presentation
  7. 7
    The Base: Spoon a generous, smooth round of the pistachio hummus onto the centre of a dark plate. Use the back of the spoon to create a slight well.
  8. 8
    The Greens & Colour: Scatter a few fresh mint leaves and the purple sweet potato crisps over the hummus to create a textured, vibrant bed.
  9. 9
    The Wings: Stack the hot, glistening wallaby wings dramatically in the centre, interlocking the bones to give the dish height.
  10. 10
    The Final Touch: Generously scatter the fresh pomegranate seeds over and around the dish. Finish with a final light drizzle of olive oil.
Read it online: https://www.lenah.com.au/recipes/wallaby-wings-smoked-over-tea-wild-fennel-served-on-chickpea-pistachio-hummus-fresh-pomegranate-mint