The White House cooks

The New York Times, offers insight on the eating habits of Pres. and Michelle Obama and their daughters, Malia and Sasha.

"White House officials say the focus on healthy living will be a significant item on Mrs. Obama's agenda... As the nation battles an obesity epidemic and a hard-to-break taste for oversweetened and oversalted dishes, her message is clear: Fresh, nutritious foods are not delicacies to be savored by the wealthy, but critical components of the diets of ordinary and struggling families..."

At some point, I will have to try the recipe from White House chef Cristeta Comerford:

No Cream Creamed Spinach

2 lbs. baby spinach, washed and cleaned
2 Tbsp. olive oil
4 shallots, minced
2 cloves garlic, minced
salt
freshly ground black pepper

Blanch half a pound of spinach in salted, boiling water. Immediately, "shock" the blanched spinach in a bowl of iced water. Drain and squeeze out the excess water. Puree in a blender. Set aside.

In a large skillet, sweat the shallots and garlic until translucent. Add the rest of the spinach leaves. Toss and sauté until wilted. Fold in the spinach puree. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Makes 6 servings.