Former Oprah Chef, Owner of Homecomin’, Talks Must-Have Holiday Food

Take it from Oprah’s former private chef and two-time James Beard Award winner, Chef Art Smith: Thanksgiving is not for experimenting in the kitchen.

“Now is not the time to try to impress,” said Smith, who has appeared on “Top Chef Masters.”

“Thanksgiving should be about comforting and nourishing your loved ones and family, not testing your cooking skills.”

Smith said his Thanksgiving menu always consists of the same Southern-style dishes. The standard turkey main course is complemented by sides including apple and sausage vinaigrette (i.e. dressing, not stuffing), cranberry relish, mac and cheese, mashed potatoes and earth and a casserole of green beans.

Many of these items are available at Smith’s popular Homecomin’ restaurant in Disney Springs. Smith said the dishes are simple and comforting — exactly what Thanksgiving is.

“There are few holidays where we can sit down with the family we love over food,” Smith said. “The most effective way to truly share with each other is through food. Thanksgiving is the holiday of gastronomy. I think this is a solution that we can really embrace.

Chef Art Smith makes the same dishes every year for Thanksgiving

Just like last year, Smith will spend his Thanksgiving in Portugal cooking and dining with the U.S. Ambassador to Portugal, Randy Levine, and his family.

The two men met years ago when Levine purchased a meal Smith prepared at a charity auction. He made his legendary fried chicken, the one he made at Winfrey’s 50^th birthday party.

“That’s how we (Smith and Levine) became friends, through fried chicken,” Smith said. “We’ve been friends ever since.”

Before the big meal, Smith will cook for a group of 100 veterans as well as families at the Ronald McDonald House in Lisbon. The meal for everyone from veterans to the ambassador will include many of the same foods.

These are dishes that Smith said even those who don’t share his culinary skills can prepare at home.

“If it’s good enough for the ambassador, it’s good enough for you,” Smith said.

Recipes for Smith’s Famous Fried Chicken and Hummingbird Cake

While these two recipes may not be the most traditional Thanksgiving foods, they’re always on Smith’s holiday menu. After all, they are among the most ordered on his menus and both ranked top billing with his former boss, Winfrey.

Smith shared the recipes so you can add them to your Thanksgiving table, too.

Chef Art Smith’s Buttermilk Fried Chicken

Yield: 15-20 servings

This recipe is the homemade version of Chef Art’s famous fried chicken. At Chef Art Smith’s Homecomin’ Florida Kitchen & Southern Shine Bar, the chicken is brined for 48 hours. A typical serving at Homecomin’ for the fried chicken dish includes two legs and a breast.

For the brine:

1/2 cup kosher salt

1 gallon cold water, divided

1 teaspoon black peppercorns

3 sprigs of rosemary

5 sprigs of thyme

4 cloves of garlic

2 bay leaves

For the chicken:

2 whole chickens, cut into 10 pieces each

1 liter of buttermilk

6 large eggs

For the egg wash:

1 tablespoon hot sauce (any brand will work, but Chef Art prefers a Fresno pepper-based sauce like the one he sells and uses at Homecomin’)

2 teaspoons of sea salt

2 teaspoons coarsely ground black pepper

For flirting:

2 cups all-purpose flour

3 cups self-rising flour (I use white lily flour)

1 tablespoon garlic powder

1 tablespoon onion powder

1 tablespoon salt, or to taste

2 tablespoons of paprika

1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper

2 teaspoons dried thyme

To cook:

Canola oil for frying

For the brine: In a large saucepan, dissolve the salt in 2 cups water over medium-high heat. Add the remaining water, stirring to incorporate the salt. Add the black peppercorns, rosemary, thyme, garlic cloves and bay leaves. Cool the mixture. Place the chicken pieces in the brine and refrigerate for at least 12 hours. Pour the buttermilk into a large bowl. Remove the chicken from the brine and immerse it in the buttermilk. Refrigerate 4 to 6 hours.
For the egg wash: In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, hot sauce, 2 teaspoons salt, and 2 teaspoons pepper. Drain the chicken from the buttermilk and place it in the bowl with the egg wash. Turn the chicken pieces to coat them with the egg wash.
For the drag: Combine the flours, garlic and onion powders, 1 tablespoon salt, paprika, cayenne pepper and thyme in a large glass dish. Add more salt if necessary. Remove 2 pieces of chicken at a time from the egg wash, allowing excess liquid to drain. Roll in seasoned flour. Shake off excess flour and place chicken on a rack until ready to fry. Repeat with remaining chicken.
To fry the chicken: Pour canola oil into a large cast iron skillet to a depth of 1 inch and heat over medium heat until it reaches 325 F on a deep fryer thermometer. Place 4 to 6 pieces of chicken in the oil. Be sure to use long tongs to move the chicken and not crowd the pan. Turn each piece about every 2 minutes. If the chicken begins to darken, lower the flame on the stovetop slightly to adjust the temperature. Cook the chicken until it reaches an internal temperature of 180F. Be sure to give the oil 5 minutes to come back to the correct temperature before pouring in the next batch of chicken. Place the fried chicken on a baking sheet lined with paper towels to absorb excess oil.

Chef Art Smith’s Hummingbird Cake

For 12 people

Cake:

3 cups all-purpose flour

2 cups granulated sugar

1 teaspoon of baking soda

1 teaspoon of ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon of salt

2 cups chopped ripe bananas

1 cup crushed and drained pineapple

1 cup vegetable oil

2 large eggs, beaten

1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

1 cup (4 ounces) finely chopped pecans

Icing:

8 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, at room temperature

1 pound powdered sugar (about 4 1/2 cups sifted)

1 teaspoon of pure vanilla extract

To make the cake, place racks in the center and lower third of the oven and preheat to 350F. Lightly butter 2 (9-inch) round cake pans, dust evenly with flour and tap off excess. (If desired, butter the molds, line the bottom with rounds of parchment paper, then flour the molds and tap off the excess.)
Sift the flour, sugar, baking soda, cinnamon and salt into a bowl. In another bowl, mix or whisk the bananas, pineapple, oil, eggs and vanilla until well combined. Do not use an electric mixer. Pour into dry mixture and mix with a large spatula until smooth. Don’t beat. Stir in the pecans. Distribute evenly among the molds.
Bake until cake springs back when pressed in center, 30 to 35 minutes. Transfer the cakes to racks and let cool for 10 minutes. Invert the cakes onto the racks (remove the parchment paper now if using it). Turn right side out and let cool completely.
To make the frosting: Using an electric mixer on high speed, beat cream cheese and butter in a large bowl until well combined. At low speed, gradually add the sugar, then the vanilla, to obtain a creamy icing.
Place 1 cake layer, upside down, on a serving platter. Spread with about 2/3 cup frosting. Top with the second layer, right side up. Spread the frosting on the top and sides of the cake. The cake can be made up to 1 day in advance and stored uncovered in the refrigerator. Let stand at room temperature 1 hour before serving.

Recipe note: At Chef Art Smith’s Homecomin’ Florida Kitchen in Disney Springs, the cake is made in three layers and served with a generous scoop of vanilla ice cream and a seasonal fruit parfait on the side. In his home kitchen, Chef Art often serves this double-decker version garnished with edible flowers, washed citrus leaves or sprigs of fruit cut from the garden.

Spitzer is a trends journalist. She can be reached at [email protected].