Sophisticated Comfort Food

Chef Michael Mina first received national attention more than 10 years ago with the opening of San Francisco's renowned seafood restaurant, "Aqua." He has since opened five other restaurants and was named Chef of the Year in 2005 by Bon Appetit magazine.

Chef Mina's newest project is "Stonehill Tavern" in Monarch Beach, Calif., which turns out sophisticated comfort food. For The Saturday Early Show's Chef on a Shoestring, he prepares a menu for four, on our $40 budget.

FOOD FACTS

Parmigiano-Reggiano: Italy's preeminent Parmesan cheese. It's aged much longer than domestic parmesans and has a more complex flavor, as well as grainier texture.

Broccolinni: A cross between broccoli and Chinese kale. This bright green vegetable has long, slender stalks topped with a bouquet of tine buds that resemble a miniature broccoli head. The flavor is sweet, with a subtle, peppery edge.

Streusel: Chef Mina makes a streusel topping, which he cooks separately and sprinkles over his sautéed apples. Streusel is a crumbly topping of flour, sugar, butter and spices that is sprinkled on coffeecakes, breads and muffins. The word is German for "sprinkle" or "strew."

RECIPES

Roasted Tomato Soup

Ingredients:
12 Roma tomatoes, quartered
1 yellow onion, sliced
6 garlic cloves, crushed
2 tablespoons tomato paste
2 quarts chicken stock
1/2 bunch basil
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
salt and pepper to taste

Method:
1) Toss the tomatoes, onions, and garlic in the olive oil and place into a roasting pan. Place into a 325° oven and roast for 20-25 minutes, stirring often, until the vegetables have slight color and are tender. (If you prefer, you can also cook the vegetables slowly over medium low heat until they're cooked down.)
2) Place all vegetables into a large pot. Stir in the tomato paste and cook for about three minutes. Add in the basil and stock.
3. Bring the pot to a simmer and cook for 15-20 minutes.
4. Using an immersion blender or a standard blender puree the soup until smooth.
5. Strain soup.
6. Adjust the seasonings to taste and serve.

Whole Fried Chicken

Ingredients:
approximately 1 gallon of vegetable oil
3 tablespoons butter
1 teaspoon minced fresh flat-leaf parsley
1 teaspoon minced fresh chives
1 teaspoon minced fresh thyme leaves
1 whole chicken (about 2 to 2 1/2 pounds), preferably kosher or free range
kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
macaroni and cheese (recipe follows)

Method:
1) To fry the whole chicken: Fill a very large pot or deep fryer three-quarters of the way with the vegetable oil, about 1 gallon total. Heat to 325˚F. Have a frying thermometer attached to the side of the pot to check the temperature.
2) While the oil is heating, season the chicken very heavily with salt and pepper on both the outside and inside of the cavity.
3) Put the chicken in the bottom of a fryer basket and carefully lower it into the hot oil. The temperature of the oil will drop a bit, but will rise back up in a couple of minutes. Put a metal strainer on top of the chicken to keep it submerged in the oil. It will take about 20 to 25 minutes for a 2- to 2½-pound chicken to cook through (a whole chicken takes about 10 minutes per pound to fry). The chicken is done when the internal temperature reaches 165 to 170°F on an instant-read meat thermometer and the skin is light golden brown.
4) Lift the basket out of the hot oil as carefully as it went in. Set the chicken on a wire rack with a pan underneath to catch the oil that drains off, be especially mindful of the oil that collects inside the cavity. Allow the chicken to rest for 5 to 10 minutes to let the juices settle.
5) Combine the softened butter and herbs and season with salt and pepper; brush over chicken.
6) To carve the fried chicken: Put it on a cutting board and pull the leg away from the body slightly in order to expose the joint. Using a sharp thin-bladed knife, remove the legs at the thigh joint. You may want to separate the thigh from the drumstick also. Repeat the same process on the wings. Carefully cut along each side of the breastbone, follow the contour of the bone down to remove all of the meat.
7) Slice the breast meat into pieces; season the chicken with salt and pepper.
8) To serve: Mound a pile of the macaroni and cheese on four plates and lay slices of the fried chicken on top.

Macaroni and Cheese

Ingredients:
1/2 pound elbow macaroni
kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
4 tablespoons canola oil
1 yellow onion, sliced
2 garlic cloves, smashed
10 fresh thyme sprigs, plus 1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme leaves
1/2 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
2 cups chicken stock
1 cup heavy cream
1/4 pound Parmigiano-Reggiano or Asiago cheese, coarsely grated (1 1/2 cups)
12 baby carrots, cooked and quartered
1 bunch broccolinni, stems removed and blanched

Method:
1) Cook the macaroni in lightly salted boiling water for about eight minutes, until tender but still firm. Drain well and set aside.
2) Heat the oil over medium-low flame in a high-sided sauté pan. Add the sliced onions, garlic, and thyme sprigs in the pot. Sauté for about five minutes, until the onions are transparent. Add the butter and flour, stirring to combine.
3) Pour in the stock and bring to a simmer. When the stock begins to bubble, whisk the cream into the sauce and gently simmer for 2-3 minutes.
4) Strain the sauce through a fine-mesh strainer into another pot and place over medium-low heat. Add the cheese and whisk until it is completely melted. Season lightly with salt and pepper.
5) Add the cooked macaroni, stirring to combine. Before serving, mix in the chopped thyme.
6) Just before serving, stir the precooked vegetables into the macaroni and allow to heat through.

Sautéed Apples with Caramel Sauce

Ingredients:
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
3 apples, like granny smith, peeled cored and cut into wedges; you can also use small lady apples
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 cup heavy cream
pinch of kosher salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 quart store-bought vanilla ice cream
1 recipe Cinnamon Streusel (recipe follows)

Method:
1) Melt the butter over medium heat in a saucepan. When the foam subsides, add the apples and sauté for about two minutes.
2) Stir in the sugar, lemon juice and cinnamon. Cook until the sugar melts and begins to caramelize into a copper-colored syrup, about 5 to 7 minutes. Be careful; the sugar is really hot at this point.
3) Remove from the heat and slowly add the cream, a little at a time; it will bubble a bit, so stand back as you pour. Stir to combine. Add the vanilla extract to the pan and set aside to cool slightly.
4) Serve over vanilla ice cream and sprinkle with streusel topping.

Cinnamon Streusel

Ingredients:
1/4 cup flour
2 tablespoons sugar
1/8 teaspoon cinnamon
2 tablespoon sweet butter, chilled

Method:
1) Mix the flour, sugar and cinnamon together in a small bowl. Use a fork to "cut" in the chilled butter until only small pieces remain.
2) Lay on a baking sheet and place into a 375˚F oven. Bake for 5-8 minutes, until golden and crispy.
3) Allow the mixture to cool, and then gently break into small pieces.