Naomi Pomeroy Wedding Chicken Recipes

WEDDING CHICKEN

Steps:

• Prepare the marinade: Using a spoon, scrape away the ginger peel, then slice into coins; stack the coins and cut into uniform matchsticks. Thinly slice the peppers and lemons; roughly chop the garlic. Set aside.
• Marinate the chicken: Place a zip-top bag into a baking dish and add the chicken, salt, sugar, vinegar, fish sauce, and soy sauce. Squeeze the juice from the sliced lemons into the bag, then add the lemons, garlic, ginger, peppers, thyme sprigs, and olive oil. Use your hands to thoroughly combine the ingredients inside the bag. Then seal the bag and chill for 12-48 hours to allow all the flavors to meld and permeate the chicken.
• Cook the chicken: Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. Evenly arrange chicken thighs skin side up in a roasting pan and pour marinade over the top. Season with salt and pepper and roast until the chicken is cooked through and the sauce is bubbly, 30-35 minutes. Serve with pan juices and pieces of the cooked lemon.

MOM'S SIMPLE SALAD

Steps:

• For the salad: In a large bowl, add the lettuce, celery, and tomato. Thinly slice the cabbage. Cut the carrots in half lengthwise, then slice. Shave the radishes on a mandoline. Thinly slice the green tops of the onions. Add everything to the bowl and refrigerate while making the vinaigrette.
• For the vinaigrette: In a jar with a tight-fitting lid, add olive oil, vinegar, ½ teaspoon salt, pepper, and lemon juice. Cover and shake. Spoon vinaigrette from the bottom of the jar onto a piece of lettuce and taste.
• Assemble the salad: Season the chilled greens with ¼ teaspoon salt and a few grinds of pepper. Give the dressing a stir and then drizzle around the outer edge of the bowl. Gently toss with your hands to combine. Taste one more time, adjust seasoning, and serve.

NAOMI POMEROY WEDDING CHICKEN

Steps:

• Whisk garlic, chiles, ginger, oil, soy sauce, vinegar, sugar, fish sauce, and salt in a medium bowl until sugar and salt dissolve. Add lemon slices and thyme. Place marinade and chicken in a large resealable plastic bag. Turn to coat, and chill at least 12 hours. Heat oven to 450°. Remove chicken from marinade, shaking off excess, and place, skin side up, on a rimmed baking sheet. Roast until cooked through and an instant-read thermometer inserted in the thickest part of the thigh registers 165°, 25-30 minutes. Serve chicken with lemon wedges for squeezing over. DO AHEAD: Chicken can be marinated 1 day ahead. Keep chilled.

EGGS BENEDICT

Steps:

• For the hollandaise: In a small saucepan, melt the butter over low heat. Once melted, pour into a pitcher and set aside to cool slightly. In another saucepan, heat water to a simmer and place a glass bowl on top, creating a double boiler. (Make sure the bottom of the bowl isn't in contact with the water.) Place the egg yolks into the warmed glass bowl. Whisk continuously, moving the bowl on and off the heat so the temperature remains consistent. The eggs will get pale and double in volume while they're being whisked. It's important the yolks and butter are the same temperature for proper emulsification, so wait for the butter to cool before adding.
• Cook the Canadian bacon: In a skillet, heat the butter over medium to high heat until foamy. Add the bacon and lay a plate on top for even browning, about 45 seconds. Flip and brown the other side; then remove from heat.
• Continue making the hollandaise: Briefly re-whisk the yolks over the double boiler to smooth out the texture. After ensuring the melted butter from Step 1 is the same temperature as the egg yolks, slowly drizzle half the butter into yolks, a little at a time, whisking continuously to emulsify. Once half the butter has been incorporated, add vinegar and salt, thinning with warm water as needed. Follow with lemon juice. Continue to whisk in the rest of the butter, stopping when there's nothing left but the white butter solids; reserve and set aside the solids. Store hollandaise in a thermos; the hollandaise should stay warm for up to an hour. (Makes about ¼ cup.)
• Poach the eggs: Fill a medium saucepan with 3 inches of water and bring to a simmer. Add white vinegar and salt; taste the water to make sure it's sufficiently seasoned. Crack the eggs into ramekins. Using a spoon, stir the water in a clockwise motion. Drop the eggs in one at a time and let them cook until the whites are no longer jiggly to the touch, about 1½ minutes. Using a slotted spoon, remove to a plate, top with butter, and set aside. (Always poach one extra egg, just in case.)
• Assemble the dish: Brush English muffins with leftover butter solids and toast in skillet until crispy. Add two slices of Canadian bacon to each muffin, followed by a poached egg, a dot of butter, and a few tablespoons of hollandaise. Garnish with chives and pepper and serve.