John F., Kennedy, the 35th United States President, was reportedly not a big eater and often had to be reminded about meal times. For lunch, President Kennedy was particularly fond of soup–New England Fish Chowder was a favorite.
The President kept to his New England roots, enjoying such fish dishes.
Ingredients:
- 2 pounds haddock
- 2 cups water
- 2 ounces salt pork, diced
- 2 onions, sliced
- 4 large potatoes, diced
- 1 cup chopped celery
- 1 bay leaf, crumbled
- 1 teaspoon salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 1 quart milk
- 2 tablespoons butter
Simmer the haddock in the water for 15 minutes. Drain. Reserve the broth. Remove the bones from the fish. Saute the pork until crisp, remove from pan, and set aside. Saute the onions in the pork fat until golden brown. Add the fish, potatoes, celery, bay leafy, salt, and pepper. Pour in fish broth, plus enough boiling water to make 3 cups liquid. Simmer for 30 minutes. Add the milk and butter, and simmer for 5 minutes. Serve the chowder sprinkled with pork dice. Serves 6.”
—A Treasury of White House Cooking, Francois Rysavy [G.P. Putnam’s Sons:New York] 1972 (p. 210-211)
To see the original copy of the recipe, click Here for Bon Appetit’s website.
Photo by S. Bonnie
To find more Presidential food favorites, go to Food Time Line.org
Northern News 