The Dish: Arkansas Chef Matthew McClure

Born and raised in Arkansas, Matthew McClure loved hunting, fishing and his grandmother's cooking.

His passion for food sent him north to the New England Culinary Institute in Vermont, and then jobs at some of the top restaurants in Boston. Fulfilling a dream to return to his home state, he first worked in his native Little Rock and in 2012 helped open The Hive in Bentonville. 

The Hive's "high south" cuisine based on local ingredients prepared with traditional methods earned him a 2015 Food & Wine award as "The People's Best New Chef" for the region.

Here are some of McClure's signature recipes: 

Roasted chicken with garam masala spices

Garam masala spice ingredients

2 star anise 

1 guajillo pepper 

1 cinnamon stick  

1 tsp mustard seed 

1 tsp anise seed 

½ tsp pink peppercorns 

½ tsp black peppercorns 

1 tsp cumin 

1 tsp coriander 

½ tsp cloves 

Chicken ingredients

1 whole Chicken   

2 garlic cloves 

¼ lemon 

¼ cup garam masala   

2 tsp kosher salt 

1 tbsp rendered chicken fat

Directions

1. Toast spices then grind into fine powder.

2. Rinse and dry the chicken.

3.  Season the chicken with salt, then massage it with the fat and garam masala spice.

4.  Truss the chicken, then stuff the garlic and lemon in the cavity.

5. Roast chicken in cast iron pan in oven at 375 degrees Fahrenheit for 45-60 minutes, until the juice runs clear

6. Remove from oven and allow to rest for 15 minutes.

Charred carrots with whipped feta and cilantro

Ingredients

6 carrots, peeled and chunked

¼ cup honey

2  bay leaves

1 tbsp ground coriander

1 tbsp ground cumin

1 cup feta

1 cup heavy cream

Directions

1. Place everything in a 200 pan and cover ¾ with water and a splash of olive oil.

2. Cover and place in a 350 high fan oven until very tender, about 1.5 hours.

3. Remove from water and let dry.

4. Heat cast iron pans until just smoking and add a splash of canola. Place carrots carefully in hot cast irons and char on 1 side (make sure the cast irons are not ripping hot. You want a good char, not carbon).

5.  Remove and season salt, cumin and coriander.

6. For whipped feta, add feta to a robot coupe and puree until smooth. Slowly add the cream in until the texture is spreadable.

Creamed corn with chili butter

Creamed corn ingredients

2 quarts juice of corn  

1 bay leaves 

1 shallot, quartered 

6 corn cobs 

2 garlic cloves smashed 

1 tsp peppercorns 

6 sprigs fresh Thyme 

Canola oil 

1 cup diced tessa or bacon 

1 pt diced yellow onion 

1-2 qt fresh cut corn 

2 garlic cloves, minced 

1 qt corn cream  

Directions

1.  Combine creamed corn ingredients in a large pot and reduce by half.

2.  In a large rondeau, add diced tessa and render. Add onions and cook until lightly caramelized, then add garlic and cook until fragrant. 

3. Add corn, corn cream, cook on low heat until. Season with salt. 

Chili butter ingredients

#1 unsalted butter (room temperature)

½ cup chopped parlsey 

6 cloves of garlic, minced 

1 shallot minced

3 guajillos

3 calabrian chilies (slightly toasted in the oven) 

2 tbsp sweet paprika 

1 tsp dry mustard powder 

1 tsp cayenne pepper 

Directions

1.  Sweat out shallots and garlic in canola until translucent; let cool.

2.  Grind together all dry spices and chilies.

3. Combine all ingredients with a few large pinches of salt in the mixer with paddle attachment.

4. Mix until fully combined. No plain butter pockets! You will have to scrape the bowl and paddle a few times to fully incorporate.

5. Roll into plastic wrap and refrigerate.

Heirloom tomato and peach salad

Ingredients

1 Brandywine tomato, washed and cut in 8 pieces 

1 redhaven or similar peach, washed and peeled and quartered 

Fresh mint 

Marash   

Shaved radish 

1/4 cup banyuls vinegar 

½ cup extra virgin olive oil 

½ shallot minced 

½ cup labneh or greek yogurt 

1 tsp turmeric 

1 tsp lemon juice 

½ tsp salt

2 bunches cilantro 

1 bunches parsley 

1/2 bunch mint leaves 

1/2 each jalapeno, seeded and chopped 

1-inch ginger peeled and chopped 

Equal parts olive and canola oils

Salt 

Directions

1. Wash, dry, and rough chop herbs. 

2. Add ginger and jalapeno to Vitamix and add just enough oil to blend to a paste. 

3. Once smooth, add herbs and a few cups of oil to blender. Pulse on high to "chop" herbs. do not puree to smooth texture.

4. Season with salt. Do not add acid. 

Pimento cheese

Ingredients

2 cups shredded cheese 

1 cup mayonnaise

4 tbsp Sriracha

1tbsp Garlic Powder 

1 tbsp apple cider vinegar (add additional to taste)

1 tsp salt (add additional to taste)

1 roasted and chopped red bell pepper 

Directions

1. Lightly coat bell pepper with oil and roast in the oven at 350 degrees for 10-12 minutes or until skin begins to separate. 

2. Remove and immediately place in an air-tight container to allow for the skin to easily peel. Once skin is removed, let cool and chop.

3. Add all ingredients to a large bowl and mix thoroughly. Add additional salt or apple cider vinegar to preferred taste.

Bacon jam ingredients

#1 bacon, roughly chopped

1 yellow onion diced 

½ cup brown sugar 

1/2 cup apple cider vinegar

1/2 cup maple syrup

Directions

1. Render bacon and remove from fat.

2. Sweat onions in bacon fat. Add bacon and the rest of the ingredients into the pan and simmer.

3. Burr with stick blender until it is smooth and spreadable.

Blueberry dessert

Blueberry syrup ingredients

1 qt water 

3 cups sugar 

1 pint fresh blueberries 

Directions

1. Place all ingredients in pot and simmer until slightly reduced. You want it to be just lightly syrupy.

2. Strain out the blueberries. 

Sabayon ingredients

3 egg yolks 

¼ cup sugar 

¼ cup madeira 

1 cup whipped cream 

Directions

1. Combine yolks, sugar and madeira in top of double boiler and whisk constantly until thickened- around 150 degrees Fahrenheit and ribbons form.

2. Whip cream to stiff peaks and fold in the custard.

Candied hazelnut ingredients

1 quart hazelnuts 

1 pint sugar 

1 pint water 

Fine salt  

Directions

1. Combine sugar and water and bring to boil to make syrup. Add hazelnuts and boil boil for 15 minutes.

2. Transfer directly to 350 Fahrenheit deep fryer and fry for 3 minutes or until color is achieved. 

3. Remove from fryer and toss in salt then transfer to tray to cool completely. 

To finish: 

1. Pour warm syrup over fresh blueberries and cover for for 5 minutes, just long enough to warm the berries through. 

2. Add tarragon and stir to incorporate.

3. Move berries and a bit of syrup to a bowl then finish with a dollop of sabayon and chopped, candied hazelnuts.