The Kentucky Derby is a wonderful Southern tradition. Even if you’re not a big fan of horse racing, you can’t help but get wrapped up in the event—if you have the good fortune to attend. The ladies’ lovely spring dresses and the gentlemen’s linen or seersucker suits hearken back to another era, and watching beautiful thoroughbreds thunder around the muddy track is an American pastime not to be missed.
If you haven’t ever been to the Kentucky Derby, put it on your bucket list. In the meantime, Derby Day is May 6, so why not host your own Derby party right here in Baton Rouge? It’s a great way to celebrate spring, and your guests will enjoy this traditional menu of authentic Derby dishes.
THE MENU:
• Hot Brown Sliders
• Mint Julep
• Curried Yogurt Dip with Crudites
• Pickled Shrimp
• Mini Derby Pies
HOT BROWN SLIDERS
The Hot Brown Sandwich is one of Louisville’s most famous dishes. It was created in the 1920s in the Brown Hotel. These were the days of dinner and dancing, and the Brown Hotel would host more than 1,200 guests every evening. As the night would turn to the early morning, guests would tend to get the munchies. They traded in hors d’oeuvres and cocktails for good, hot, stick-to-your-ribs food. The chef at the Brown Hotel, wanting to serve something other than just ham and eggs, came up with this decadent creation of béchamel sauce, turkey, tomato slices, bacon and cheese. We altered the recipe a bit to make them into sliders. They are hearty and delicious.
Servings: 6
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons flour
1 cup whole milk
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon black pepper
Pinch ground nutmeg
1 cup Parmesan cheese
1 pound thin-sliced smoked turkey
12 thin slices Swiss cheese
12 slices tomatoes
12 slices cooked bacon (cook the bacon until it is done but not quite crispy)
12 mini brioche rolls or Hawaiian rolls
1. In a small sauce pot, melt the butter. Add in the flour. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes, and then whisk in the milk until smooth. 2. Stir the sauce over medium heat until it begins to thicken and coat the back of a spoon. 3. Season with the salt, pepper and nutmeg. Fold in the Parmesan cheese, and stir until it is all melted. Set the béchamel sauce aside. 4. Slice the rolls in half, and place them onto a baking sheet. 5. Spread a couple of teaspoons of the béchamel sauce on either side of the rolls. 6. Place a couple slices of turkey on one side of the rolls. Top this with the Swiss cheese followed by a slice of tomato and then the bacon. 7. Heat the oven to broil and place the hot browns under the broiler for 2 to 3 minutes to melt the cheese and crisp up the bacon. 8. Remove from the broiler and close them up with the other side of the now-toasted roll. Serve immediately.
MINT JULEP
The mint julep has been the signature drink of the Kentucky Derby for nearly a century, though there is some controversy over how it came into fashion. Some say it dates back to the 1700s and was used for medicinal purposes. Other historians trace its roots to early 19th-century Virginia, when the upper crust would drink a brandy-based julep with breakfast. Regardless, the drink became popular in the South, and as the masses began to adapt it to their menus and budgets, they substituted bourbon, which was less pricey than brandy. As Kentucky is the birthplace of bourbon, the mint julep has become synonymous with the state and the Derby. There are numerous versions of this cocktail, and ours is easy to make for a crowd and will kick any party off to a great start.
Servings: 1
4 to 6 ounces crushed ice
2 ounces minted simple syrup*
2 ounces bourbon whiskey
Splash cold water
1 sprig of fresh mint
1. Fill a mint julep glass or a highball glass with crushed ice. 2. Pour in the minted simple syrup and bourbon. 3. Top it off with a splash of cold water and stir. 4. Add in a sprig of fresh mint for garnish. Enjoy!
* For minted simple syrup: 1 cup sugar
1 cup water
½ cup fresh mint leaves
1. In a small sauce pot, bring the water and sugar up to a simmer. 2. Allow the sugar to completely dissolve and turn off the heat. 3. Add in the mint leaves and allow the mint to steep in the syrup as it cools for 30 to 40 minutes. 4. Remove the mint leaves and store the minted simple syrup in the refrigerator for up to two weeks.
CURRIED YOGURT DIP WITH CRUDITES
When you go to the Kentucky Derby, everyone packs a picnic basket full of delicious finger foods to nosh on during the long day of horse racing. This flavorful curried yogurt dip is delicious and easy to transport along with fresh veggies. It is a healthier dip than others because the base is made from Greek yogurt. This also helps to keep you full because the Greek yogurt is a great source of protein.
Servings: 6
8 ounces plain Greek yogurt (whole or low-fat)
2 cloves minced garlic
¼ cup chopped green onions
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
2 teaspoons hot sauce
1 tablespoon Creole mustard
2 teaspoons curry powder
1 teaspoon ground turmeric
½ teaspoon kosher salt
½ teaspoon fresh ground pepper
1. In a large mixing bowl, combine all the ingredients. Mix well until combined. 2. Cover the curried dip and chill for at least two hours before serving to allow the flavors to come together. 3. Serve with your favorite fresh vegetables.
PICKLED SHRIMP
Pickled shrimp is a very classic Southern dish. These pickled shrimp are great to make for a crowd and can be assembled well in advance. We make them in a large Mason or mayonnaise jar, which is perfect to store them in. It also serves as a cute and practical serving dish.
Servings: 6
1 (32-ounce) Mason jar or glass jar with a lid
1½ pounds large shrimp (boiled and peeled)
6 slices lemon
9 cloves garlic
1 small red onion, quartered
2 celery stalks, cut in half
3 bay leaves
6 sprigs fresh thyme
6 sprigs fresh Italian parsley
1 teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 cup olive oil 1⁄3 cup lemon juice
1. Place 1⁄3 of the boiled and peeled shrimp into the mason jar. 2. Add 1⁄3 of the lemon slices, garlic cloves, red onion, celery, bay leaves, thyme and parsley sprigs. 3. Make a second layer of the shrimp followed by a second layer of the other aromatics. Repeat for a third layer of shrimp and aromatics. 4. In a small bowl, whisk together the salt, red pepper flakes, olive oil and lemon juice. 5. Pour the marinade into the jar. Close the lid and gently shake the jar to make sure the marinade covers everything. 6. Place the jar into the refrigerator and allow it to chill for at least 6 hours or overnight. If the marinade does not cover everything, then turn the jar upside down every few hours to ensure that all of the shrimp gets pickled. Serve the shrimp straight from the jar with cocktail toothpicks.
Mini Derby Pies
A Derby Pie is very much like a pecan pie but with the happy addition of chocolate chips and, oh yes, bourbon. It was created in the 1950s in the Melrose Inn in Prospect, Kentucky. It is no wonder if you go to the Kentucky Derby, you will find folks enjoying slices of this decadent, rich dessert. Tracey and her daughter, Maggie, came up with their own version of a Derby Pie. They make them in muffin tins so that they’re easy to transport and eat with your hands.
Servings: yields 12 mini pies
1 box ready-made pie dough
2 large eggs
½ cup flour
¼ teaspoon salt
½ cup brown sugar
½ cup Karo light corn syrup
½ cup melted butter
2 ounces bourbon
1 tablespoon vanilla
1 cup dark or semi-sweet chocolate chips
½ cup chopped toasted pecans
12 pecan halves
1. Heat the oven to 350 degrees. On a floured work surface, roll out the pie dough to 1⁄8-inch thick. 2. Use a 3- or 4-inch biscuit cutter to cut circles out of the pie dough. Spray a 12-count muffin tin with nonstick cooking spray. Press each dough circle into the bottom and up the sides of the muffin tin. 3. Lightly prick the dough with a fork, and then place the tin into the oven and bake for 4 to 5 minutes. Remove the tin from the oven and allow it to cool. 4. In a large bowl, whisk the eggs, flour, salt, brown sugar, corn syrup and melted butter together. 5. Stir in the bourbon, vanilla, chocolate chips and chopped pecans. 6. Use a tablespoon to fill the prebaked pie shells with the filling about 3⁄4 of the way full. Top each pie with a pecan half. Bake the mini pies in the oven for 20 to 30 minutes, or until they are set and a tester comes out clean when inserted in the middle. 7. Allow the pies to cool slightly before gently popping them out of the muffin tin.
