Recipes From Chef Shea Gallante

March 30, 2011— -- With his "from farm to fork" mantra, executive chef Shea Gallante relies on locally sourced ingredients to create his delicious cuisine at his New York City restaurant, Ciano.

Here are his recipes for cortecce with octopus and clayport chicken. Click here to read more about chef Shea Gallante.

Cortecce with Octopus, Calabria Peppers and Garlic Bread Crumbs

Ingredients for the Pasta Dough:

1 cup plus 1 Tbsp Durum Flour

1/2 cup Water

1 tsp Salt

1 tsp Olive oil

Ingredients for Sauce:

5 oz Cooked octopus sliced thin

1/4 cup Bruniose Fennel

1/4 cup Bruniose Red Onion

2 Garlic Cloves

1/4 cup Julienne Parsley

2 marinated Calabria Peppers, Minced

1 tsp Ground Fennel Seed

3 oz Vegetable Stock

4 oz Olive Oil

2 oz Chopped Tomato

2 oz Garlic Bread Crumbs

3 oz Parmigiano Reggiano, shredded

Preparing the Dish:

Mix the ingredients for the pasta dough together until fully incorporated and allow to rest for 30 minutes. Roll out pasta into thin sheets and punch out oval shaped pieces, roughly 1 and a half inch diameter.

In a large saute pan, add the olive oil, pancetta, garlic, red onion, fennel, parsley, tomato, fennel seed, octopus, peppers and stock.

Boil the pasta, and add to the sauté pan and coat the pasta with the garnish. Add the cheese and plate as desired and sprinkle the garlic bread crumbs over the top.

Claypot Chicken with Alfafa and Herbs, Farro, Chanterelles and Brussels Sprouts

Ingredients for the Chicken:

1 ea Romertoph Clay Pot (Another type vessel may be used but results will vary)

1 ea 3.5lb Chicken

1 handful Alfafa hay (available at pets stores, while fresh is better)

1 ea Sprig Rosemary

1 ea Sprig Thyme

1 ea Sprig Sage

2 gal water

½ cup Sugar

½ cup Salt

1 ea Pizza dough ball (approximately 1lb)

2oz Butter

Ingredients for the Farro:

1 cup Dry Farro

3 oz butter

½ cup Grated Parmesan Cheese

1 qt Chicken Stock

2 Garlic cloves

1 ea Sprig rosemary

salt/pepper to taste

Ingredients for the Mushroom Ragu:

2 cups Brussels sprouts leaves (Leaves picked from the heads)

4 oz Chanterelles

2 ea Shallots

¼ cup Pancetta

1 Tbsp Butter

¼ cup Madeira wine

Ingredients for Celery Root Puree:

1 ea Celery Root

1/4 cup Heavy Cream

1tsp Butter

2 cups Vegetable stock

Additional Ingredient:

4 oz chicken jus or demi glace

Preparing the Claypot Chicken Dish:

Combine the water, sugar and salt and warm the mixture until the salt and sugar dissolve. Cool the water and submerge the chicken in the water in a large pot in the refrigerator for 8 hours. Remove and dry.

Soak the clay pot for 20 minutes prior to use. Place the hay and herbs in the bottom of the claypot. Coat the chicken with butter and place on top of the herbs and hay. Cut the pizza dough into 1" wide strips and gently press to the edge of the claypot bottom. Press the top of the claypot onto the bottom so that the pizza dough forms an airtight seal.. You will hear the air release. Bake in a 300 F oven for 40 minutes. Remove the claypot from the oven and allow the meat to rest for 2 hour. Do not open the pot.

Meanwhile, in a medium saucepot combine the chicken stock, farro, garlic, rosemary and simmer until the farro is tender, about 25 minutes. Remove the rosemary sprig and set the farro aside.

Peel and medium dice the celery root. In a medium sauce pot, add the stock and celery root, butter and cream and cook until tender, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a blender and puree until smooth. Reserve.

In a large saute pan sweat the shallots in the butter until tender, about 3 minutes. Add the chanterelles and sweat for 2 minutes. Add the Brussels sprouts and cook further for 2 more minutes. Deglaze with the Madeira wine, making sure to keep the liquid away from the open flame. Add the pancetta and 2 tablespoons of the chicken jus.

Place the chicken back in the oven and re-heat for 5 minutes. Unseal the pot and add the liquid in the claypot into the large saucepan containing the mushrooms and chicken jus. Reduce to demi-glace consistency. Warm the farro and add butter, cooking to a porridge-like consistency, about 2 minutes more, and finish with parmesan cheese.

Carve the chicken. Plate by making a circle of the celery root puree, placing the farro in the center and adding the mushroom & Brussels sprouts. Place the sliced chicken on top, sauce with the chicken jus, and serve immediately.