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HEALTHY RECIPES FROM THE WHITE HOUSE
By former Executive Chef to the President
of the United States, Marti Mongiello
Photo credits: White House and Martin CJ Mongiello.
Martin and Stormy Mongiello have worked with six Presidents: Bush, Clinton, W. Bush, Obama, Trump, and Biden. They have cooked for many stars like Patricia Arquette, Bernadette Peters, King Abdullah, Queen Rania, Prime Minister Hashimoto, Jon Bon Jovi, Nicholas Cage, Sophia Loren, and Sheryl Crow. They share some favourites.
Bill Clinton’s Banana Vinaigrette Salad Dressing
I found out that Bill Clinton loves bananas and when the Doctor’s told me Clinton also needed a bit more potassium each day, it was game on for banana heaven. I still hold the world record for the most bananas ever served to Bill, eight in one day. How did I do it? Banana oatmeal begins by smashing bananas into the hot water and then slicing a few into the finished oatmeal. A couple of bananas during the day and then, “suddenly one summer,” (The Motels) the chef brings out at dinner a new, “Banana Vinaigrette.”
I love the Clinton’s along with Chelsea and the whole family, as I do any family I am serving. Focusing on their individual likes makes people happy with a surprise recipe named after them!
Ingredients:
A few bananas (two or three) depending on size, peeled
3 T warmed honey (more/less)
Orange Vanilla (I use Cara Cara)
White Balsamic Vinegar
White Pepper to taste
Blond Miso Paste Stock made with warm water for thinning
Dried Garlic to taste
Use an immersion blender to blend. Depending on how ripe, and how large they are, one more banana may be needed, or one less. You can use fake or real salt to taste or olive oil. But generally, I never served him any oil unless it was in a spray can and very, very sparingly. This is a perfect example of heart healthy cookery taught to me by Doctor Dean Ornish
Hillary Clinton’s Mango Salad Dressing
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When I found out that Bill loved banana’s I decided to make some new salad dressings for him and Hillary whose favourite fruit is a Mango, so do you know what kind of dressing I made for the First Lady?
That is important when cooking for two attorneys’. The kind chef is considerate of each other’s feelings. Don’t go making something for Daddy and not have something for momma! One night at home, I served Hill’s Mango Vinaigrette first, and the President jokingly asked me an intimidating question, after announcing, “Look, First Lady, I used your favourite fruit to make a special dressing I have named after you!” She was so touched and loved it. She said, “You know Marti, they typically have the Raspberry Vinaigrette everywhere you go, but I have never had a Mango Vinaigrette!”
Meanwhile, the President did not look enthused at all. He looked pissed off and deadpan looked at me stating, “That is so nice of you Chef Marti, anything here for the President of the United States of America? Like a little salad dressing, you made just for me and named it after me?” Oh, he was pissed off and jealous. “Why yes sir, I made a Banana Vinaigrette just for you out of your favorite fruit!”
I mentioned turning to get that bowl with a spoon and bring it to him. Well, he laughed out loud because he had been pulling my chain and he got me that night. We always joked about me being fired soon, and a lot of our staff had running bets on my firing, as high as $1000.00 per night in betting. I always was overly friendly, filled with love and care, and have always been too familiar. I certainly terrorized many people by having too much to say. I never knew I was a tour guide and curator back then like I am today. Photo credits White House and Martin CJ Mongiello. I love the Clinton’s along with Chelsea and the whole family, as I do any family I am serving. Focusing on their likes makes people happy with a surprise recipe named after them!
A few mangoes peeled/sliced, and half a small bottle of Mango juice (Naked)
3 T warmed honey (more/less)
A few drops of hot sauce to spice things up (Hill loves hot sauces)
Mirin, Rice Wine or Salad Vinegar to taste
White Pepper to taste
Herb de Provence Olive Oil
Chipotle Olive Oil (The Clinton’s love Southwestern cuisine)
Dried Garlic powder to taste
Use an immersion blender to blend. Depending on how ripe, and how large they are, one more mango may be needed, or one less. You can use salt to taste.
The Famed Ivanka Trump Salad
It has been a pleasure to work with several Presidents from the Bushes to
the Trumps and to be a loyal servant in the White House Military Office.
I first worked with Donald Trump by being employed at one of his private clubs to
help with restaurant design and a few ideas for recipes.
I so enjoyed Ivanka’s famous salad on the menu the first time I ate there! It was so great. I
wanted everyone to have a chance to also enjoy it. As the White House has all types of visitors daily, they (like some guests from Africa) often get to try the fun recipes as well.
The ladies in the photo are Joy Bishara and Lydia Pogu who had been previously kidnapped by Boko Haram, who visited President Donald J. Trump, and his daughter,
For the Salad
2 cups chopped romaine
2 oz canned chickpeas, drained
5 cherry tomato halves
2 oz roasted corn
2 oz blanched green beans
2 oz cubed Swiss cheese
2 oz balsamic vinaigrette
Arrange romaine lettuce on plate, and layer with chickpeas, tomatoes, corn, green beans, and
cheese. Drizzle with Balsamic Vinaigrette (see recipe below)
For the Balsamic vinaigrette
6 oz balsamic vinegar
2 oz rice wine vinegar
1/2 c Dijon
2 Tbl minced shallots
1 Tbl minced garlic,
1/2 Tbl Worcestershire
1 each lemon juice
1/4 tsp cayenne
1/4 Tbl salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
18 oz olive oil
8 oz salad oil
3 Tbl Parmesan
1 Tbl parsley
1 tsp dry mustard
Light Summer Seafood Soup, a favourite of Franklin D. Roosevelt
According to Henrietta Nesbitt, the White House housekeeper, FDR had very simple American tastes in foods; he liked foods “he could dig into.” Among his favorite dishes were scrambled eggs, fish chowder, grilled cheese sandwiches, hot dogs, and fruitcake.
FDR’s love of chowders in the deep snows of winter were not about to be extinguished for the rest of the year come Spring and Summer! His creative US Navy Chefs from the yacht, White House Staff Mess (Restaurants staffed by only US Navy Chefs) and swabbie Valets came up with new ideas to please him when it got hot.
Servings: 6 as a lunch or dinner entrée/8 as a starter
INGREDIENTS
1 sweet onion (Vidalia)
Chopped 2 cloves garlic
Minced 3 fresh Pomodoro diced tomatoes
2 (14 ounce) cans fish broth or 28 ounces of homemade fish broth (vegetable or chicken stock/broth/bullion will also work)
2 bay leaves, prefer fresh (1 if dried)
10 strands of fresh Thyme
Himalaya Salt and Organic Pepper
1 pound medium Shrimp – peeled and deveined
2 or 3 filets of fresh white fish
1 can of whole, baby Clams with all of the juice or shuck fresh clams
1 pound smaller sized Scallops
1 Lobster tail chopped up small
Crab meat, prefer whole lump or premium 2 cups chopped
Firm, boiled potatoes (the size of dice is nice 1 or 2 cups
Grilled, drained, chopped, thick-cut, hickory smoked bacon
DIRECTIONS:
* Sautee down the onion until translucent but not browned or carmelized!
*Begin to heat up the broth and add the bay leaf to release its flavor.
*Broil or bake the fish and hold to add to the broth later – pull it from the oven and let it stiffen up. *Saute shrimp and scallops until plump and keep them tender – do not harden stiff.
* Add tomatoes, wine (if using) to the broth and pepper.
*Add the chopped lobster and crab meat and cook tenderly – the broth does not need to be at boil.
*Add the clams with juice, garlic (taste to likeness depending on small or large cloves) and strip off the fresh thyme into the broth.
*Add the bacon and potatoes tossing around
* Allow to mingle and taste for salt requirements.
During winter we thicken this with heavy cream and sometimes add a flour and butter mixed roux. It just depends on how thick you would like to have it!
Mrs. Grover Cleveland’s Celebrated Recipe for Brown Bread
This is a present-day version of the Brown Bread recipe of Mrs Grover, the youngest First Lady.
1 1/2 C cornmeal
1 1/2 C rye flour
2 1/2 C buttermilk
1 C molasses
1 heaping teaspoon of baking soda
1 level teaspoon of plain salt.
Method
The whole must be mixed thoroughly and steamed 2 1/2 hours, on a rack set inside of a roasting pan with water about 1/4 way up the side of a well-buttered pie pan (can be glass, ceramic or tin and is sometimes called a pie dish or pie plate) at 325 degrees and then baked from 20 minutes to a 1/2 hour.
