Recipes from Chef Art Smith’s Program at NECA 2008 Chicago

Pistachio-Crusted Chicken with Coconut-Chili-Ginger Sauce

This dish, which I created for a special guest of Ms. Winfrey, is one of my most frequently requested new dishes. Everyone asks for seconds. We have served it over and over again to our guests. If you love the flavors of Asia, this is right up your pad Thai alley. My sous chef, Rey Villalobos, crusts his chicken ahead of time and refrigerates it, which he says makes the crust stay on better. The sauce is my most famous. I’ve even had people tell me they could drink this sauce. It can be made ahead of time because it keeps well in the refrigerator.

Coconut-Chili-Ginger Sauce
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
2 shallots, minced
2 blades lemongrass, chopped
3 (1/2-inch) piece, fresh ginger, thinly sliced
1 cup sweet white wine
2 cups chicken broth
2 tablespoons Thai red curry paste
2 tablespoons Chinese black bean chili sauce
1 (8-ounce) can coconut milk
½ cup (1stick) unsalted butter, softened and cut into pieces
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Pistachio-Crusted Chicken
4 boneless chicken breasts
1 quart buttermilk
1 pound salted pistachios, shelled and toasted
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
¼ cup fresh thyme
1/3 cup chopped fresh rosemary
¼ cup chopped fresh parsley
2 cups all-purpose flour
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Grapeseed oil to taste

LoMein Noodles
4 large shiitake mushrooms, cleaned, stems removed and julienned
4 stalks asparagus, cleaned, blanched and julienned
½ cup julienned yellow squash
½ cup julienned zucchini squash
1 tablespoon canola oil
2 teaspoon Mae Ploy sweet and sour sauce
¼ teaspoon sriracha chile paste
Salt and pepper to taste
8-12 ounces fresh lo mien noodles (commonly found in the refrigerator section of an Asian grocery store)

For the sauce: In a medium saucepan over medium-high heat, add the tablespoon of butter, the shallots, lemongrass, ginger slices and wine. Reduce to half. Add the broth, red curry paste and Chinese black bean chili sauce and reduce to half again. Add the coconut milk and reduce to half a third time. Remove from the heat and whisk the bits of butter into the sauce until all the butter has been incorporated. Season with salt and pepper. If you reheat, do not allow the sauce to boil or the butter will separate.

For the chicken: Cut the chicken breasts in half. With a meat mallet pound until ¼-inch thick and place in a nonreactive bowl. Pour the buttermilk over the chicken, cover, and let sit for at least 1 hour in the refrigerator.

In a food processor, place half of the pistachios, half of the Parmesan cheese, and half of the herbs. Pulse 5 or 6 times until the mixture is finely chopped. Transfer to a bowl. Repeat this step with the rest of the pistachios and combine with the other pistachio mixture.

Preheat the oven to 250 degrees.

For the noodles: Place the canola oil in a preheated sauté pan with the julienned vegetables and sauté for 1 minute. Add the sweet and sour sauce, srirracha chile paste and lo mien noodles. Continue to cook until the noodles are just hot and season to taste with salt and pepper.

Place the flour in another bowl and season it with salt and pepper. Remove the chicken from the refrigerator and prepare it for assembly. Preheat a large nonstick sauté pan over medium-low heat with a thin coating of grapeseed oil. Remove one breast, shake off any excess buttermilk and dust the breast with flour on each side. Dip only one side of the chicken back in the buttermilk and press pistachios onto that side. Repeat that step with all of the chicken. Place the chicken in the sauté pan, pistachio side down, and cook for 2-3 minutes. Turn and cook the other side for 2 to 3 minutes. Place in the oven to finish cooking for 8 to 10 minutes. Remove, let rest for 5 minutes and then slice to serve with the Coconut-Chile-Ginger Sauce and the prepared noodles.

Chocolate Pecan Pie

Yield: One 9-inch Pie

For the Cream Cheese Dough:
4 Ounces Cream Cheese
4 Ounces Unsalted Butter, softened
1 Cup All Purpose Flour
1 ½ Tablespoons Sugar
½ Teaspoon Kosher Salt

Combine all the ingredients together in a mixing bowl with your hands until it just begins to come together. You want to be able to see large streaks of the cream cheese and butter. Form into a ball and wrap in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for 2 hours or overnight before rolling out into a greased 9-inch fluted tart pan.

For The Filling:

2 Ounces Bittersweet Chocolate, chopped
2 Tablespoons Butter
1 1/2 Cups Sugar
1 Cup Light Corn Syrup
3 Eggs
1Teaspoon Vanilla Extract
½ Teaspoon Kosher Salt
1 ½ Cups Pecans, Coarsely Chopped
1 Cup Whole Pecans
1 Cup Chopped Bittersweet Chocolate Pieces

Melt the 2 ounces of chocolate and butter over a double boiler. Place the sugar, corn syrup, eggs, vanilla, salt and chopped pecans in a large mixing bowl and whisk until combined. Add the melted chocolate.

Preheat the oven to 320 degrees F.

Line a greased 9-inch fluted tart pan with the prepared cream cheese dough and sprinkle the bottom of the dough lined pan with ½ cup of the chopped chocolate. Pour in the prepared filling. Arrange the remaining chocolate pieces and whole pecans on top of the tart.

Place the tart on a parchment lined cookie sheet and bake in the oven for 50 minutes or until just set. Let cool to room temperature before removing from the tart pan.

Grilled Shrimp on Arugula with Lemon Vinaigrette

Serves 4

3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1 teaspoon chopped fresh oregano
1 teaspoon chopped fresh basil
1 teaspoon chopped fresh chives
Pinch of cayenne pepper
Salt and freshly ground pepper
24 large shrimp, peeled and deveined with tails on

4 ounces green beans, cut into 1-inch lengths
2 ears of corn, un husked
2 tablespoons white balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
6 cups arugula leaves, well rinsed and drained
1 pint grape tomatoes
1 cup basil leaves

To marinate the shrimp, whisk together the oil, lemon juice, garlic, oregano, basil, chives and cayenne in a glass and season to taste with salt and pepper. Pour into a zippered plastic bag and add the shrimp and marinate in the refrigerator for 2 hours.

Bring a medium saucepan of lightly salted water to a boil over high heat and add the green beans and cook until crisp and tender, about 3 minutes. Drain and rinse under cold water. Pat dry with paper towels.

Grill or sauté the corn, and remove off the cobs. Grill or sauté the shrimp until just cooked.

Whisk together the balsamic vinegar and olive oil. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Arrange the arugula, green beans, tomatoes, corn, and basil in a large bowl and toss with the vinaigrette. Add the shrimp and serve.