Commander and chef:
Politically correct dining
by
Kathryn Rem / Copley News Service
Politicians bring home the pork - and the beef, chicken and shrimp.
It's fitting, here at the beginning of President George Bush's second term, to take a look at the dishes that Washington, D.C., politicos eat when they're dining in.
Recipes from more than 150 elected officials, or their spouses, are compiled in "The Great American Sampler Cookbook: Recipes from the White House & Congress" (Taylor Trade, $19.95) by Texas-based food and travel writer Linda Bauer.
Bauer interned at the White House during the Watergate era and her husband was an aide in five administrations. She asked elected officials to submit their favorites for the book, proceeds of which go to fight illiteracy.
Bauer said she prepares the recipes in her book regularly; her favorites are artichoke dip from U.S. Rep. David Hobson, R-Ohio, Cowboy Cookies from George and Laura Bush, and Speaker Dennis Hastert's seafood salad.
President Bush is credited with recipes for baked-potato soup, vegetable stew, bananas Foster and guacamole.
There's also a cold turkey salad from Sen. Barbara Boxer, D-Calif., fish chowder from Sen. Edward Kennedy, D-Mass., apple soup from Sen. Christopher Bond, R-Mo., moose Swiss steak from U.S. Rep. Don Young, R-Alaska, Florentine chicken from Vice President Dick Cheney, chocolate biscotti from Sen. John Sununu, R-N.H., and pecan finger cookies from Sen. Elizabeth Dole, R-N.C.
Bauer noted the variety of regional dishes throughout the book.
"The members chose their favorite recipes," she said, "from Tex-Mex to Polish, Southern (to) Californian."
Recipes from "The Great American Sampler Cookbook":
GEORGE AND LAURA BUSH'S COWBOY COOKIES
1 1/2 cups butter
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 1/2 cups brown sugar
3 eggs
1 tablespoon vanilla
3 cups flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 tablespoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon cinnamon
3 cups chocolate chips
3 cups rolled oats
2 cups coconut
2 cups pecans
Yields 10 dozen cookies.
Preheat oven to 350 F.
Cream butter and sugars. Beat in eggs, add vanilla. Add next five ingredients and blend. Stir in chips, oats, coconut and pecans.
Drop by the spoonful onto cookie sheet and bake 10 to 12 minutes.
SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE DENNIS HASTERT'S HOT SEAFOOD SALAD
5 pounds crab meat, flaked
2 bunches green onions, finely chopped
1/2 cup lemon juice
2 teaspoons tarragon, crushed
5 tablespoons capers
2 cups mayonnaise
2 tablespoons horseradish
3 teaspoons Dijon-style mustard
Salt and pepper, to taste
Seasoned bread crumbs
Butter, melted
Parsley, chopped
Parmesan cheese, grated
Pita bread
Mustard
Yields about 20 servings.
Preheat oven to 350 F. Mix crab, green onions, lemon juice, tarragon, capers, mayonnaise, horseradish, mustard, and salt and pepper, to taste. Put mixture in ovenproof casserole.
Mix bread crumbs, butter and parsley. Sprinkle crumbs and parmesan on crab mixture. Bake about 20 minutes. Serve hot with pita crackers.
Pita crackers: Cut each pita circle in 1/2 and separate each 1/2 into 2 pieces where pocket is formed. Brush both sides with mixture of butter and mustard. Bake at 350 F until brown. Serve hot with salad.
REP. JOHN SHIMKUS' PORK PIE
1 pound bulk pork sausage
1 cup cooked ham, cubed
1/2 teaspoon ground sage
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 cup chopped green pepper
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup chopped celery
1 (10 1/2-ounce) can cream of chicken soup
1 apple, sliced
Grated parmesan cheese
1 pie crust
Butter or margarine
Yields 6 servings.
Preheat oven to 375 F. In 10-inch skillet, cook sausage, stirring, until done. Drain. Stir in ham, sage, pepper, green pepper, onion, celery and soup. Place in ungreased deep-dish pie plate or quiche pan. Place apple slices on top and sprinkle with cheese.
Cover with pie crust and seal. Prick crust and dot with butter or margarine. Bake 30 to 40 minutes.
SEN. DICK DURBIN'S KUGELIS
(Potato Casserole)
10 large red potatoes
1 large onion
5 strips bacon, diced
1/2 cup hot milk or evaporated milk
3 eggs
2 teaspoons salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
Yields 10 to 12 servings.
Preheat oven to 400 F. Peel and grate potatoes, and place in large bowl. (A food processor makes this job easy.) Grate onion; add to potatoes. Fry diced bacon until crisp. Pour bacon fat and bacon over potatoes. Add hot milk. Add eggs one at a time, beating. Add salt and pepper and mix well.
Pour into greased 13x9-inch baking pan. Bake at 400 F for 15 minutes, then reduce heat to 375 F and bake 45 minutes, or until firm when tested by inserting knife in center.
Note: This is an authentic Lithuanian potato side dish. Durbin's mother, Ann Durbin, came to the United States from Lithuania and feasted on this inexpensive dish often while growing up in East St. Louis, Ill.
