Top Chef, Season 6, Episode 6, Elimination Challenge Winner

4 Servings

For Chicken:

• 1 whole chicken, skin-on, deboned, separated breasts and thighs
• 4 slices bacon
• 2 ancho chiles, dry and roasted
• 2 pasilla negro chiles, dry and roasted
• 2 guajillo chiles, dry and roasted
• 2 morita chiles, dry and roasted
• ½ cup freeze dried corn, ground into powder

For Brine:

• 1 gallon water
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 cup salt
• 1 tablespoon epazote
• 1 tablespoon cracked peppercorns
• 1 clove garlic, smashed
• 2 arbol chile pods
• ½ onion, julienned
• 1 stalk celery, julienned

For Seed Puree:

• ¼ cup sunflower seeds
• 1/8 cup pumpkin seeds
• 1 red bell pepper, roasted and peeled
• 1 Roma tomato, halved and charred

For Fig Jam:

• ¼ cup figs, halved
• ½ cup strong brewed coffee
• ¼ cup strong brewed hot chocolate
• Sherry vinegar
• Extra virgin olive oil
• Salt

For Chicken:

1. Combine ingredients for brine and boil until salt and sugar are dissolved. Pour liquid into ice bath and cool rapidly. Brine chicken overnight.

2. Grind chicken thighs and bacon together.

3. Bloom chiles by placing them in a microwave safe dish with ¼ cup water. Cover in plastic wrap and cook on high for 3 minutes. Unwrap when cool enough to touch. Pass bloomed chiles through grinder. Mix together with meat and season.

4. Wrap mixture in plastic wrap to form into log. Let sit in refrigerator overnight.

5. Roast chicken breast in the oven at 650-degrees F for approximately 5 minutes.

6. Spread a layer of butter on the skin as it comes out of the oven. Sprinkle with dried corn. Rest and then slice.

For Seed Puree:

1. Fry all seeds in olive oil. Drain on paper towels.

2. Put seeds in food processor and add pepper, tomato, and garlic. Puree until smooth adding water as needed. Add sherry vinegar and olive oil to taste. Reserve.

For Fig Jam:

1. Mix hot coffee and hot chocolate with figs. Cover and allow to steep until room temperature.

2. Pour off liquid and reserve. Take figs and puree in food processor until smooth. Add some of the reserved liquid if necessary. Season.

To Serve:

1. Place a line of seed puree and top with a quenelle of fig jam.

2. Position sausage next to jam and add two slices of chicken next to the sausage.