Memorial Day 2026

Looking through previous posts of our Memorial Day celebrations, they have been much bigger productions. In the past, we would invite a crowd for holidays and I would really cook up a storm. More and more in recent years, we prefer smaller and quieter, quality over quantity.

Grilled Chicken with Chimichurri and Baked Cream Corn
with Bacon and Green Chiles

This year, we decided to celebrate quietly, just the two of us, by cooking something a bit out of the usual and sharing a bottle of wine.

Usual these days means that if it takes more than fifteen minutes to prep, it probably is not going on the menu—I only spend hours in the kitchen a very few times each year. I suppose this is all a direct backlash to the restaurant days when I would spend countless hours cooking, at least 40 of my 80- to 90-hour week. And without doubt, this is a reflection that my priorities have changed: being in the kitchen is still rewarding, but spending time with people, especially Ann, is even more important.

In the days leading up to Memorial Day, Ann had grilled chicken on her mind. When I went to the store to get a package of chicken thighs, I also happened across the first fresh corn of the year and so a menu came together quickly, while standing in the produce section.

I have always relied on raw ingredients to help me prepare my menus. In the restaurant days, when I would find myself with little inspiration, going to the farmers market and putting hands on ingredients would usually do the trick. Or, on non-market days, walking into the restaurant pantry and looking through the hundreds of ingredients—15 types of rice alone—would spur my creative juices.

Grilled Chicken Thighs

Sunday, I skinned and boned out the chicken thighs, saving the bones and trim in the freezer to add to my next pot of stock. Then I made a quick marinade of ground cumin, salt, pepper, a touch of Chimayo chile, minced garlic, and minced cilantro stems with just enough oil to make it into a paste. The chicken marinated overnight in the refrigerator for grilling on Monday.

Baked Creamed Corn

The creamed corn was my idea and response to seasonal vegetables. Ann wanted something quasi-decadent with the chicken: she had been angling all week for risotto or Israeli couscous. I just was not in a rice or pasta mood, especially in light of fresh corn.

I tried to keep the corn as light as possible, yet still have it feel decadent. To that end, I fried a bit of smoked pork shoulder to render a touch of grease; it is much less fatty than bacon. To this, I added the kernels from four ears of corn and two Anaheim chiles, roasted, peeled, and seeded. I use a propane torch to roast chiles; my technique is posted here.

Two tablespoons of flour went in next and cooked for a minute or two to cook off the floury taste. Then I added a bit of chicken stock, call it a half a cup, to create a fake cream base (traditionally, I would have omitted the flour and cooked down heavy cream until thick) and then thickened it a touch more with grated Cotija cheese, a big handful.

Between the pork shoulder and the Cotija, the corn needed no additional salt. To finish the dish, I scattered a bare handful of grated jack cheese on top and put the pan in a hot oven until it browned. That's my quick take on a lighter creamed corn.

While the corn was browning, I made a batch of chimichurri, because, grilled meat deserves chimichurri. Chimi is so easy to make that I do not use a recipe. I posted a step-by-step here if you need photos and a recipe. The basic premise is to add a bunch each of destemmed cilantro and Italian parsley to the food processor along with a chopped shallot and a couple cloves of minced garlic, a teaspon of Greek oregano, a half a teaspoon of crushed red pepper flakes, and let it rip. When well blended, add a good slug of red wine vinegar and twice that much extra virgin olive oil. After it comes together, season to taste. After a couple of batches, you will find what you like: thinner, thicker, more acidic, milder, etc.