Featured Recipes: Finger-Lickin Finger Lakes Chicken and Some Hard Lemonade
Finger Lakes Chicken photo by wssmom
This is probably one of the most delicious recipes for grilled chicken that I have ever tasted. I made this several times and you know the food is really really good when everyone at the table goes completely silent, not a word, only sometimes you can hear a low mutter almost inaudible, “this is so good”, well thats what happens when I serve this chicken. This is a recipe from one of my good friends on food52, Virginia also known as wssmom (her cooks name on food52), is a fantastically creative cook, take at look at her 72 recipes on food52, her recipe, A Bowl of Red was runnerup in the chili contest as was her New Years Day Fresh Ham in the Best Holiday Roast contest. She manages to make each recipe approachable and absolutely delicious.
I have also included one of her many amazing recipes for drinks. She is an inspired mixologist, this is one of many delicious drinks that she has created. Bobby Flay Inspired Hard Lemonade incorporates the best of summers flavors (lemons and strawberries and packs a punch with some silver rum. Try it you will love it! It’s really pretty too. If you are not in the mood for lemonade, try her Peartini and I will personally attest to the greatness of this drink, she brought it to the Food52 cookbook party. One more, I can’t help it I love her recipes, Kicked up Egg Cream how can you go wrong with a delicious chocolate egg cream with some chocolate liquor.
Serves 4
Fresh Herb Aioli:
1 large organic egg yolk, at room temperature
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
1 cup grapeseed oil
1 minced clove garlic
pinch sea salt
1 cup champagne vinegar (yes, one cup)
1 tablespoon minced fresh sage leaves
1 teaspoon minced fresh rosemary sprigs
1 teaspoon minced fresh thyme leaves
1 teaspoon minced fresh oregano
some more salt
In a suitable bowl, preferably one that won’t spin around, whisk together the egg yolk, lemon juice and garlic. Add the oil a few drops at a time (or have someone do that for you), whisking until it emulsifies. Continue to dribble in the oil, whisking away, until all is incorporated.
Put half the aioli in another bowl, saving the remainder for another use. Whisk in the vinegar, add the herbs and add a tad more salt than you think neccessary, about a teaspoon in my case.
Finger Lakes Chicken:
2 whole organic chicken breasts, split so you have four nice-sized pieces
Freshly ground pepper
Fresh herb aioli
Liberally sprinkle the chicken breasts with freshly ground pepper, put them in a ziplock bag with the aoili, smush so they are covered, and let marinate for at least three hours, or preferably overnight.
Grill, bone side down and covered, over medium heat for about 15-20 minutes, then turn and crank up the grill to high to finish, so that the skin gets nice and crispy.
Chill and bring along to your picnic, and serve along with some lovely dry riesling.
Bobby Flay Inspired Hard Lemonade (Inspired by Bobby’s recipe for minted lemonade)
Serves 6
1 1/2 cups sugar
Juice from 10-12 lemons, about 1 1/2 cups
1 pint strawberries
silver rum
3 cups seltzer, chilled
1/2 bunch mint sprigs
Prepare a simple syrup by mixing the sugar with 1 1/2 cups water in a small pan; bring to a boil, stirring to dissolve, and let cool.
Stem the strawberries and puree with about 1/3 to 1/2 cup of the lemon juice. Put through a sieve to remove seeds and errant bits.
In a large, attractive pitcher, combine 3/4 cup simple syrup with the strawberry-lemon puree and the remainder of the lemon juice. Sample and if desired, add more simple syrup to taste.
Add the mint to the pitcher along with the rum (one ounce per serving) and chill in the refrigerator for an hour. Add the cold seltzer and serve over ice. Kick back and enjoy the fourth race!
apuginthekitchen 
I made this chicken a couple of times last summer and absolutely fell in love! So good!
It is so good, Virginia’s recipes are so wonderful and I am so happy to feature this.
I definitely have to give the lemonade a go, it sounds so refreshing and delicious!
The lemonade is so good! The fresh strawberries and lemon is so delicious and the rum gives it just the right kick!
Thanks for reminding me about this recipe…I know I’ll love it! I have a big jar of mayo that needs to be used up so I may take the lazy man’s approach and add herbs to it instead of making the aioli.
I do the same thing, mayo works great and is a perfectly good sub for the homemade aioli which is great but well, time consuming and a bit of work. I love this chicken and last time I made it I subbed mayo and it was fantastic.