First up, Cornell-style chicken. For my second recipe for Epicurious I dove into a regional chicken found exclusively in upstate New York. This is the chicken found at every fair, fundraiser, and cookout between the Finger Lakes and the Hudson Valley from Memorial Day to Labor Day. It was originally developed in 1950 by a professor at Cornell who was tasked by the poultry association (yes, that’s a thing) to create a recipe that would encourage people to eat more chicken. The chicken is first marinated in a vinegar-based dressing before getting cooked on a grill until charred and smoky. It’s easy to batch (perfect for any upcoming barbecues) and takes a handful of pantry staples to put together. You can find the recipe here.
Photo by Travis Rainey, Food Styling by Lillian Chou
Photo by Travis Rainey, Food Styling by Lillian Chou
One of the many reasons I was so excited about signing on to Oona was that the focus is on how wine and food pair together. With every new wine released, the founding partners will develop a menu to go with it. For our first wine, a highly drinkable Barbera rosé, I was in charge of the main dish. Thinking about summer dining, I wanted to make something that was quick and easy, but looked impressive. Enter whole trout with chimichurri. The chimichurri does the heavy lifting here in terms of flavor, which is used to infuse the trout as it bakes, as well as gets served on the side. Watch my reel here to see just how easy it is to put together. While I know cooking a whole fish might seem intimidating, it’s actually one of the easiest ways to cook it I think. You can find the recipe here, and get some wine along the way.
That whole fish is calling out to me. I think I've prepared one once, years ago. Need to try again, looks lovely (even to someone who spent all morning being sick!)