Deconstructed Baked Chicken and Chicken Croquetta, Mexican Coffee, Chili Flake, Pumpkin Romesco, Fig Jam

Top Chef: Season 6, Episode 6

Elimination Challenge Winner: Kevin Gillespie

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Ingredients

1 whole chicken, skin-on, deboned, separated breasts and thighs		2 arbol chile pods
4 slices bacon		½ onion, julienned
2 ancho chiles, dry and roasted		1 stalk celery, julienned
2 pasilla negro chiles, dry and roasted		¼ cup sunflower seeds
2 guajillo chiles, dry and roasted		1/8 cup pumpkin seeds
2 morita chiles, dry and roasted		1 red bell pepper, roasted and peeled
½ cup freeze dried corn, ground into powder		1 Roma tomato, halved and charred
1 gallon water		¼ cup figs, halved
1 cup sugar		½ cup strong brewed coffee
1 cup salt		¼ cup strong brewed hot chocolate
1 tablespoon epazote		Sherry vinegar
1 tablespoon cracked peppercorns		Extra virgin olive oil
1 clove garlic, smashed

Prep: 3 hours (180 mins) Total: More than 60 min

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1
For Chicken: Combine the water, sugar, 1 cup salt, the epazote, cracked peppercorns, garlic, arbol chile pods, onion and celery 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 1/4 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.
7
For Seed Puree: Fry the sunflower and pumpkin seeds in olive oil. Drain on paper towels.
8
Put seeds in food processor and add pepper, tomato, and some garlic. Puree until smooth adding water as needed. Add sherry vinegar and olive oil to taste. Reserve.
9
For Fig Jam: Mix hot coffee and hot chocolate with figs. Cover and allow to steep until room temperature.
10
Pour off liquid and reserve. Take figs and puree in food processor until smooth. Add some of the reserved liquid if necessary. Season.
11
To Serve: Place a line of seed puree and top with a quenelle of fig jam.
12
Position sausage next to jam and add two slices of chicken next to the sausage.

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