What do the Obama's eat at home?
60 Minutes' Steve Kroft visited the family's Chicago home early in Obama's candidacy. Part of the interview took place in the kitchen, where the candidate made tuna salad with his two daughters, 10-year-old Malia and 7-year-old Sasha.
Here is the reporter's observed recipe:
Barack Obama's Tuna Salad
Ingredients:
- Tuna
- Grey Poupon mustard
- Mayonnaise
- Chopped Gherkin pickles
Method: In a medium bowl, mix all ingredients well with a fork.
When the 60 Minutes interview turned to other things the then-senator cooks well, Malia said, "Chili and that's it." Barack defended himself: "The truth is, before I met Michelle I did quite a bit of cooking. I had an Indian roommate for a while, so I learned how to make Indian food. I grew up in Hawaii where there's a lot of Asian influence, so I learned how to cook Chinese food...also, the stuff I make is a little too spicy for these guys."
Go here for Barack Obama's Chili recipe, which he says will "clear your sinuses" when made just right.
The girl's favorites are reported to be fried chicken and macaroni and cheese. The Chicago Sun-Times published Michelle Obama's recipe for mac and cheese, adapted below.
Michelle Obama's Macaroni and Cheese
Yield: 6-8 as a Side Dish
Ingredients:
- 1 pound elbow macaroni
- 3 Tbsp butter
- 1 cup shredded Swiss cheese
- 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese plus 2 Tbsp for topping
- 2 cups sharp Cheddar cheese
- 7/8 teaspoon salt, or to taste
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 egg
- 1/4 cup milk
Method:
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter a 9-by-13 pan or casserole dish and set aside.
- In a large pot of boiling water, cook pasta until tender, 5-8 minutes.
- Drain pasta in a colander and then return to pot while still hot. Dot in with cut-up pieces of butter.
- Slowly sprinkle the cheeses (reserving 2 tablespoons of the Parmesan) and salt onto the hot pasta, turning noodles with a wooden spoon to spread cheese evenly. Stir gently so as not to break up noodles. Set aside.
- Pour heavy cream into a microwave-safe measuring cup or bowl and microwave until warm, about 30 seconds. Add egg and milk to cream and whisk with a fork.
- Stir the cream mixture into the pasta. Pour the mixture into the baking dish. Spread evenly and sprinkle the top with the remaining 2 tablespoons of parmesan.
- Bake until cooked through and cheese is lightly browned on top, about 20 minutes. Serve warm.
Will the White House kitchen be turning out comfort food like chili, fried chicken, tuna salad and macaroni and cheese? Maybe the Obamas will only get a chance to cook these for themselves when they're in the Western White House.
Larry Ervin - Foodie, self-taught cook and cookbook addict, I never met a recipe I didn't want to twist, simplify, add or switch out ingredients.
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