Top Chef Masters, Season 1, Episode 6, Elimination Challenge Winner

FRIED CHICKEN LEG

• 1 dozen chicken legs
• 1/4 cup kosher salt or coarse sea salt
• 4 cups all purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon white pepper
• 1 teaspoon Cajun pepper
• 1 tablespoon Old Bay Seasoning
• 6 eggs
• 4 cups of buttermilk

SMASHED WHITE YAMS AND APPLES

• 4 apples, peeled and cored
• 3 medium white yams, peeled and diced
• 1 clove of garlic, peeled
• 4 tablespoons butter
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• Pinch of salt

CHICKEN THIGH

• 8 skinless chicken thighs
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 8 strips of good bacon, Benton Bacon
• 4 tablespoons of grapeseed oil
• 1 cup onion, chopped
• 1 stalk celery, chopped
• 2 cups of haricot vert
• 2 tablespoons flour, plus extra for dredging chicken
• 3 cups hot chicken broth
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 sprig of thyme
• 1/4 cup cream

SWISS CHARD

• 3 tablespoons grapeseed oil
• 4 cloves of garlic
• Large bunch of Swiss chard, washed dried and chopped
• Sea salt to taste

SMOKED CHEDDAR GRITS

• 4 cups water
• 2 cups of stone ground grits, "Bradley's General Store"
• 1 tablespoon salt
• 2 tablespoons of unsalted butter
• 1 cup of sharp cheddar cheese

MANGO PIE

• 2 mangos, peeled, diced
• 1/4 stick of unsalted butter
• 1/4 cup cane sugar
• 1 pinch corn starch
• 1 tablespoon of vanilla extract

PASTRY

• 2 cups all purpose flour
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1/4 cup unsalted butter, cut into pieces
• 3 tablespoons or so of ice water
• 2 tablespoons of melted unsalted butter, for glaze
• 2 tablespoon of half and half
• Sugar for glaze

FRIED CHICKEN LEG

Put chicken legs in a large pot filled with enough water to cover, add salt and place in refrigerator for 1-2 hours.

Sift flour and spices into a bowl and reserve. (This can be made ahead for future fried chicken).

In a second bowl, beat eggs and buttermilk together.

Pour out water from chicken pot, take wet chicken, shake well and coat with seasoned dredged mix, shake well, to remove excess flour.

Heat oil in cast iron skillet or electric fryer to 335 degrees F. Fry chicken in hot oil, 325–335 degrees F or about 12-15 minutes. Be sure to watch the temperature so chicken does not over brown.

You can finish cooking chicken by placing on a sheet pan with a rack, and baking for about 10-15 minutes in 350 degree F oven.

Mashed Apple & White Sweet Potato

Roast apples, yams, garlic in preheated 400 degrees F till soft. Mash in a bowl with butter, vanilla extract, and salt

CHICKEN THIGH

Season chicken thighs with salt and pepper. Dredge in flour, reserve.

In skillet, fry bacon till crispy. Remove bacon, and reserve. Keep bacon grease in skillet and add grapeseed oil to bacon grease. Heat skillet to medium high, add dredged chicken, and brown on each side, 6-7 minutes, remove and keep warm. Add vegetables to skillet after you brown all the chicken. Sprinkle in flour to allow it to cook with the vegetables. Then add chicken to mixture. Add chicken broth, bay leaves, sprig of thyme and allow to braise until the chicken is tender cover well. Finish with cream, if desired, and keep warm for service.

SWISS CHARD

Heat oil in skillet. Add garlic cloves and cook until soft, mash with back of spoon. Add chard and sauté until tender, about 10 minutes. Smother chicken thigh with crispy bacon reserved from the Chicken Thigh recipe and top with Swiss chard.

CHEDDAR GRITS

Bring water to boil in a sauce pan, stir in grits and salt. Cook grits till tender and creamy. Add butter and cheese. Stir in well, and keep warm, but away from high heat to prevent burning.

MANGO PIE

In a hot sauté pan, sauté mangos with butter and sugar. Sprinkle corn starch and stir well. Cook till mango is soft and juicy. Reserve and allow to cool. When cool add the vanilla.

PASTRY

Sift flour and sugar, cut butter into flour, with a fork, adding droplets of ice water to flour butter mixture and stirring until it all comes together. Place a little flour on the work surface. Take the dough and slight work. Chill for at least 1 hour.

In about 12, 3-ounce individual dishes add the mango mixture. Roll dough out about 1/4 inch and cover each pie.

Brush melted butter, half and half and sprinkle with sugar. Bake in 400 degree F oven till pies are bubbly, about 20-25 minutes.

TO PLATE

On a large square plate or can be done in courses. Place one scoop of apple yam mixture, add a piece of crispy fried chicken, space add some cheese grits and the braised thigh with a few green beans, space and add the mango pie.