Michael Mina at Home (Interview)

I recently met Chef Michael Mina for the first time at a SF Chefs 2010 event. He spoke on a panel aptly titled “A View from the Top”. I had heard a lot about Chef Mina’s work in the past, and given his resume, I was a bit nervous to approach him afterward. After all, this is a man who has earned two Michelin stars, won the coveted James Beard Award and owns numerous restaurants across the country. One might imagine that a person with such an amazing list of accomplishments would be an intimidating and imposing figure, but when I approached him, he immediately made me feel at ease with his natural charm and kindness. Because of his busy schedule, I was ecstatic and very thankful that Chef Mina accepted to take time to answer a few questions. This isn’t the first time he has been interviewed, so I thought it would be fun to focus on the role food plays in his personal life.
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Michael Mina's Butterscotch Pudding (Vol Au Vent Pastry Recipe)

I was browsing through Chef Michael Mina's recipes, looking for one to post alongside the interview, and I stopped on butterscotch pudding. My husband Lulu loves anything butterscotch and I thought it would be a nice treat for him. I didn’t want to serve the pudding by itself in a bowl, and after going through several options in my head (I thought of creating chocolate cups or tart shells), I decided to make a quick puff pastry dough and baked it as a "vol au vent".

I filled the puff pastry with Chef Mina’s butterscotch pudding and sprinkled a little powdered sugar over them. To make the flavors more complex, I sautéed a medley of dried fruits and pistachios in butter and added a splash of rose water. If I had time to do butterscotch three ways, a la Chef Mina, I would also have made a stack of mini crêpes layered with butterscotch cream  and a butterscotch crème brulée. You won’t go wrong with any of these dishes.

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Deconstructed S'mores Recipe (Chocolate Peanut Butter Dessert Cups)

S'mores are a classic campfire dessert. Generally, only chocolate, marshmallows and graham crackers are necessary for this American treat. As a French person, nothing symbolizes American desserts more than peanut butter, so I had to add some to the dish.

This summer we decided to make use of a little outdoor fireplace on our property (we've been in this home for 6 years; I know we're pretty slow). We spent so many evenings roasting marshmallows and telling scary stories.

I noticed the girls would smear chocolate everywhere, which makes the laundry not so fun. So I served these desserts in verrines (dessert cups). I don't know if making deconstructed s'mores reduced our laundry chores, but it tasted amazing!

*The dessert was inspired by Chef Catherine Schimenti (Chef Michael Mina's pastry chef), which was served during the Sugar Party at SFChefs 2010.

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