Thanksgiving recipes from White House to your house

NEW YORK - Nov. 11, 2013 - PRLog -- Nearly four hundred years ago, early English settlers in America held
their first harvest meal of thanksgiving. Kudos for that traditionally
have gone to the pilgrims who sat down to turkey (or other local fowl) in
Plymouth, Massachusetts in 1621 although there is an argument to be made
that two years earlier, settlers 20 miles upriver from Jamestown,
Virginia enjoyed a thanksgiving dinner as directed in their charter.
Whoever initially broke Thanksgiving bread, the first Thanksgiving
proclamation was issued in 1863 by President Lincoln; the fourth Thursday
in November did not become a legal holiday until 1941.

       The menu has been enhanced by the many ethnicities of Americans but
turkey, root vegetables and pies have remained its staples in most homes.
More than a century ago, conscientious hostesses worried what green---if
any---should be on the table. First Lady Frances Cleveland may have
settled on creamed cabbage.  Her thinking seems to have been that cream
and eggs added to slowly-baked cabbage gentled the coarse leaves enough
to suit even delicate, feminine palates.

       In the 21st century, Michelle Obama has worried out loud, and in
consultation with White House chefs, about how to make this most
significant American meal healthy as well as filling and delicious. One
great idea centers on the native-American, nutrient-rich miracle food,
the sweet potato, already very much part of Thanksgiving tradition.
Instead of candying it, the new White House version adds sweetness with
orange juice and cinnamon, then whips the potato to add lightness while
subtracting calories.
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Please credit any recipes and photos from those offered here to A White
House Garden Cookbook by Clara Silverstein (Red Rock Press).
.

WHITE HOUSE Ladies’ Cabbage

Serves 4

This savory recipe

from the White

House Cookbook,

1894, shouldn’t be

reserved only for

females (despite its

title). But Frances

Folsom Cleveland,

First Lady when

the cookbook

was written, must

have liked it. The

original description

called it “very

digestible and

palatable.” Here is

an adaptation.

1 firm head green cabbage, about

2 pounds

2 eggs

1 tablespoon melted butter,

plus more for greasing pan

3 tablespoons light cream

Salt and pepper, to taste

1. Cut the cabbage into quarters. Fill

a large pot with water, add a little salt,

and bring it to a boil. Submerge the

cabbage in the water and boil for 15

minutes, or until tender, adding more

boiling water as needed.

2. Drain the cabbage in a colander in

the sink. Let it cool completely.

3. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Grease the bottom of an 8-by-8-inch

baking pan with butter.

4. Core and chop the cabbage into

thin pieces and place it in a mixing

bowl.

5. In a separate bowl, beat the eggs.

Add the melted butter (make sure it

has cooled slightly, or it will cook the

eggs), cream, salt and pepper. Mix

well. Pour into the cabbage and mix

well again.

6. Put the cabbage mixture into the

baking pan and smooth out the top

with the back of a spoon. Bake until

the eggs are set and the casserole is

heated through, 20-30 minutes.

CABBAGE

Thomas Jefferson’s kitchen staff

purchased cabbage 51 times

from Washington markets in

1801, making it the second

most popular vegetable at the

White House (only lettuce

was purchased more often). In

1786, Jefferson had sent seeds

from Paris to Virginia for Savoy

Cabbage (Chou de Milan), a

cabbage with reddish veins. This

type of cabbage is now part of

the Jefferson Bed in the White

House garden. The recipe

collection from Monticello contains

a recipe made of cabbage

boiled with pigs’ tongue –– but

since I could not devise a way to

make that recipe family-friendly,

I’ll spare you that.

With its thick leaves and strong

cooking odor, I am mystified as

to why “petit chou” (little cabbage)

is a French endearment.


White House Whipped Sweet Potatoes

Serves 4

Michelle Obama has said

that the First Family is

particularly fond of sweet

potatoes. This recipe gets

its flavor from a subtle

mix of spices, plus citrus

juices and just a bit of

butter (or margarine). The

sweet potatoes add just the

right amount of sweetness,

but with no added sugar,

this certainly qualifies as

a healthy addition to the

table at Thanksgiving or

any other holiday.

3 medium (12 to 16 ounces

each) sweet potatoes

2 tablespoons butter

1/8 teaspoon ground

cinnamon

1/8 teaspoon ground cumin

1/8 teaspoon chili powder

Pinch of ground cloves

4 tablespoons orange juice

1 tablespoon freshly

squeezed lemon juice

Salt to taste

1. Set the oven at 425

degrees.

2. Wash the potatoes, pat

dry, and wrap each one

in foil. Place on a baking

sheet and bake until

soft all the way through,

approximately one hour

(cooking time will vary

depending on the size of

the potatoes).

3. Remove the potatoes

from the oven. Unwrap

the foil and allow them to

cool enough to handle.

4. Cut each potato in

half. Scoop out the inside

and place in a large mixing

bowl.

5. Add the butter, cinnamon,

cumin, chili

powder, cloves, orange

juice, and lemon juice.

Using an electric mixer

with a whisk attachment

on medium speed, whip

the potatoes until smooth

and all the ingredients

are incorporated, 1 to 2

minutes.

6. Add the salt and serve.

Sweet Potatoes

Don’t confuse sweet potatoes

with yams –– they are similar,

but sweet potatoes are native

to the Americas, while starchy

yams come from Africa.