kentucky derby pie recipe

Kentucky Derby Party Kentucky Derby Party Men’s Special Event NBC TV Coverage 2–3:30 pm Page 1 Saturday, May 6, 2006, 12:30 pm Home of Nancy and Zoltan Rosztoczy 13542 N. Placita Montanas de Oro Oro Valley, AZ 85755 297-2131 To join the spirit of the day, hats required for the ladies! You can also place your bets, if so desired! The Kentucky Derby is celebrated the first Saturday in May at Churchill Downs with visitors from around the world gathering at the race track and all over Louisville. The Kentucky Derby, and the ten days preceding it, has signaled the opening event of Kentucky’s “Spring season” for well over a hundred years. As “My Old Kentucky Home” plays before the race, the Mint Julep cups are raised. The menu below is the typical fare of the day! Drinks: Hors D’Oeuvres: The Tradition: Entree: Bread: Desserts: Mint Juleps (Included in the dinner cost) Louisville Benedictine Salty Pecans Kentucky Burgoo Tenderloin of Pork with Sweet Potatoes and Apples Marinated Grilled Asparagus Cornbread Bourbon Balls Peppermint Stick Candy Ice Cream Thoroughbred Pie They call it the most exciting two minutes in sports. But the Kentucky Derby is about far more than just a two-minute horse race. The first Derby was run in 1875, and the race endures as America’s longest-running continually held sporting event. Here are some traditions! Just as longstanding and important a tradition as the Kentucky Derby itself is that of the Derby hat. Almost everyone in attendance at the race, or at any Derby Party, will be wearing a spectacular hat, whether that hat was custom designed or homemade. Remember, there is no such thing as too big, too bold, too elaborate, or too outlandish! Kentucky Derby Party Page 2 Classic Mint Julep Makes one 8 oz Julep, Prep: 10 minutes There is only one “proper” drink to have at a Kentucky Derby Party and that’s the Mint Julep. The classic version is served in silver julep cups. 3 fresh mint leaves 1 tablespoon Mint Simple Syrup Crushed Ice 1 ounce bourbon 1 cocktail straw cut to 1-1/2” above the rim of the cup 1 fresh mint sprig Powdered sugar (Optional) Place mint leaves and Mint Simple Syrup in a chilled julep cup. Gently press leaves against cup with back of a spoon to release flavors. Pack cup tightly with crushed ice; pour bourbon over ice. Insert straw, place mint sprig directly next to straw, and serve immediately. Sprinkle with powdered sugar, if desired. Mint Simple Syrup Makes 2 cups, Prep: 5 minutes; cook 10 minutes; chill 24 hours 1 cup sugar 1 cup water 10 to 12 fresh mint sprigs Bring sugar and water to a boil in a medium sauce pan. Boil, stirring often, 5 minutes or until sugar dissolves. Remove from heat; add mint, and let cool completely. Pour into a glass jar; cover and chill 24 hours. Remove and discard mint. Note: For testing purposes only, Southern Living used Woodford Reserve Distiller’s Select Bourbon. Any Kentucky bourbon will do! Salted Pecans Makes 4 cups 1-1/2 pounds (4 cups) unsalted shelled pecans 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled 1 tablespoon salt Preheat the oven to 350º. Place the nuts in a large mixing bowl and pour the butter over them. Toss with a wooden spoon until all the nuts are moisten, then toss them with the salt. Transfer the nuts to a shallow roasting pan and spread them out in one layer. Roast the nuts uncovered for 15 to 20 minutes, tossing them from time to time with a wooden spoon. When the nuts are crisp and golden brown, transfer them to Kentucky Derby Party Page 3 paper towels to drain. Cool to room temperature and serve the pecans at once, or store them in airtight jars in a cool place. Louisville Benedictine This spread can be used as a dip or a sandwich & canape ingredient. It was made popular at Louisville’s Benedict’s Restaurant in the earlier 1900s and has been a staple on race day ever since! 1 1 1 2 cucumber, peeled medium onion lb Cream cheese, softened – 3 drops green food coloring Grate cucumber and onion (may use a food processor) and drain well in a strainer, pressing down with a spoon to remove all liquid. Discard liquid. Add drained cucumbers and onion to softened cream cheese and mix well in food processor. Color with 2–3 drops of green food coloring. Use as a cracker spread (such as: Trader Joe’s Original Savory Thins or Carr’s Watercrackers) or a dip. Thin with sour cream or mayonnaise to make a dip for vegetables. Kentucky Burgoo What is BURGOO? Burgoo is a savory stew made from a varying array of ingredients. It is often cooked in enormous iron kettles outdoors over an open flame. Cooking can take as long as 30 hours and flavor improves as it ages. It has been said that burgoo is more of a concept than a recipe. This is because there are as many different ways to prepare burgoo as there are people who prepare it. The meats could include any or all of the following meats: mutton (sheep/lamb), beef, pork, chicken, veal or opossum. You will also find some combination of these vegetables: potatoes, corn, lima beans, tomatoes, or okra. Of course, there are also many spices to choose from as well. As you might imagine there are many people who keep their recipes a closely guarded secret. What does “BURGOO” mean? It is believed that the word “burgoo” originated in the 17th century on the high seas. These sailors used to subsist on an oatmeal-like porridge made from the Middle-Eastern grain, bulgur (or bulghur) wheat. The term first appears in the 1650 book “Adventures by Sea” by Edward Coxere. This traditional Kentucky Derby Day recipe was created by Chef Nick Sundberg, Executive Chef of the Beaumont Inn of Harrodsburg, Kentucky. His version is lighter than the thick stew usually served up. He uses this as a light first-course soup. 1 ½ ½ 1 1 1 1 1 1 pound mixed cooked meats (beef, lamb, pork, chicken, game, etc.) gallon chicken stock gallon beef stock ounce Worcestershire Sauce cup tomatoes, diced large onion, diced stalk celery, diced small green bell pepper, diced large potato, diced Kentucky Derby Party 2 large carrots, diced ¼ cup peas ½ cup okra ¼ cup lima beans ½ cup yellow corn 2 teaspoons garlic, minced Salt and pepper to taste Page 4 Combine all ingredients and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 2 hours, skimming the top as needed. Improves with age, can be made a day or two ahead. Serve hot. Roast Pork Tenderloin with Sweet Potatoes and Baked Apples Serves 8 Boneless Pork Tenderloin (usually a 2/pack, approx. 5-1/2 to 6 lbs., available at Bashas, Albertsons, Frys and Safeway) Olive oil 1 teaspoon salt ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper To Roast: Preheat oven to 425ºF. Separate meat, if two pieces are packed together, and place on rack in shallow roasting pan. Trim any fat. Brush with olive oil. Rub pork tenderloin(s) on all sides with salt and pepper. Place sweet potatoes and apples around the roast. (See recipes below.) Roast until internal temperature of the pork reaches about 150ºF, approximately 18 – 23 minutes per pound (calculate based on weight of one tenderloin). Transfer the roast to a heated platter and let rest for about 10 minutes for easier carving. Roasted Sweet Potatoes 3 sweet potatoes (about 2 lbs.), peeled and cut in half lengthwise Place halved sweet potatoes around the roast. Brush tops with butter. Bake for approximately 30 minutes until tender. Serve on platter surrounding the pork tenderloin and the baked apples. Baked Apples 6 tart firm apples, cored 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, mixed with ½ cup light brown sugar Use only firm tart cooking apples that bake well, for example, Granny Smith’s. Fill the hollowed centers of the apples with the cinnamon-sugar mixture, dividing it evenly amount them, and stand the apples upright on the roasting pan with the tenderloin and sweet potatoes. Roast approximately 30 minutes. Ideally all three items will take the same time to bake. Kentucky Derby Party Page 5 Cook before arriving to the dinner. Carve at the dinner. Surround the roast with the sweet potatoes and apples. Skim and discard the fat from the juices, if any, in the roasting pan and serve the gravy in a heated sauce boat. Marinated Grilled Asparagus This is a typical way folks in Kentucky prepare asparagus. 1 pound fresh asparagus 3 tablespoons lemon juice ¼ cup olive oil 2 cloves garlic, minced 1 ½ teaspoons dill weed Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste Garnish: Red bell peppers, diced Lemon slices (Nancy and Zoltan have a lemon tree and will provide) Break asparagus and discard the woody parts of the stalks. Place asparagus in casserole dish. Add remaining ingredients. Marinate at least 1 hour, turning frequently. Place asparagus spears in a greased grill basket. Grill over hot coals until tender but still crunchy. Garnish with diced red bell peppers and lemon slices. (Cook ahead and bring to the dinner ready to serve.) Corn Bread Like most regional cuisines, Kentucky’s cooking has had many influences. Native Americans, the first settlers to arrive, introduced corn and its many uses. Corn is a staple in Kentucky recipes. 1 1 4 ¼ 1 2 1 ¼ cup yellow corn meal cup flour teaspoons baking powder cup sugar teaspoon salt eggs cup milk cup melted butter or margarine Sift flour with baking power, sugar and salt; stir in corn meal. Beat eggs slightly, add milk and melted butter. Combine with dry ingredients, stirring only until moist. Pour into greased 9 x 9 x 2 inch pan. Bake at 425ºF for 20 to 25 minutes. Bourbon Balls Makes about 60 one-inch balls 8 one-ounce squares unsweetened Baking Chocolate, coarsely chopped Kentucky Derby Party Page 6 60 vanilla wafers, pulverized in a blender or wrapped in a towel and finely crushed with a rolling pin (about 3 cups) 1 cup finely chopped pecans 1-2/3 cups sugar ½ cup bourbon ¼ cup light corn syrup In a small heavy skillet, melt the chocolate over low heat, stirring almost constantly to prevent the bottom from scorching. Remove the pan from the heat and let the chocolate cool to lukewarm. (Could use a double boiler.) Combine the pulverized vanilla wafers, pecans and 2/3 cups of sugar in a deep bowl. Pour in the chocolate, bourbon, and corn syrup and stir vigorously with a wooden spoon until the ingredients are well combined. To shape each bourbon ball, scoop up about a tablespoon of mixture and pat it into a ball about 1-inch in diameter. Roll the balls in the remaining cup of sugar, when they are lightly coated on all sides, place them in a wide-mouthed 1-quart jar equipped with a securely fitting lid. Cut two rounds from a double thickness of paper towels to fit inside the lid of the jar. Moisten the paper rounds with a little additional bourbon and press them tightly into the lid. Seal the jar with the paper-lined lid and set the bourbon balls aside at room temperature for 3 – 4 days before serving. Tightly covered, the bourbon balls can safely be kept for 3 to 4 weeks. Peppermint Stick Candy Ice Cream Makes 1-1/2 quarts 6 ounces peppermint stick candy reduces to 3 ounces pulverized in a blender or finely crushed with a rolling pin ½ cup sugar 1 quart heavy cream 1 ½ teaspoon vanilla extract Combine the pulverized peppermint stick candy, the sugar and 1 cup of cream in a heavy 1 ½ to 2-quart saucepan. Then set the pan over low heat and stir until the sugar dissolves completely. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the vanilla extract and the remaining 3 cups of cream. Refrigerate the cream mixture until it is thoroughly chilled. Pack a 2-quart ice-cream freezer with layers of finely crushed or cracked ice and course rock salt in the proportions recommended by the manufacturers, adding cold water if the directions call for it. If you have a hand ice-cream maker, fill it with the ice-cream mixture, and let it stand for 3 or 4 minutes. Then turn the handle, starting slowly at first, and crank continuously for a few minutes. Add the chopped peppermint stick candy and continue to crank for 10 minutes longer. Do not stop turning or the ice Kentucky Derby Party Page 7 cream may be lumpy. When the handle can barely be moved, the ice cream is ready to serve. If you wish to keep it for an hour or two, remove the lid and dasher. Scrape the ice cream off the dasher and pack it firmly in the container. Cover securely, pour off any water in the bucket and repack the ice and salt solidly around it. If you have an electric ice-cream maker, fill the can with the ice-cream mixture, cover the can, turn it on and let it churn for about 5 minutes. Add the chopped candy, cover again and continue to churn for 10 minutes longer, or until the motor slows or actually stops. Serve the ice cream immediately or follow the procedure above to keep it for an hour or two. Lacking an ice-cream maker, pour the ice-cream mixture and chopped candy into three ice-cube trays without their dividers, spreading it evenly. Freeze for about 6 hours, stirring every 30 minutes or so and scraping into it the ice particles that form around the edges of the tray. Tightly covered, the ice cream may safely be kept in the freezer for several weeks. Before serving, place it in the refrigerator for 20-30 minutes to let it soften slightly so that it can be easily served. Option: Purchase ice cream as an alternative if it is available at one of the markets. Thoroughbred Pie This is Beaumont Inn’s Pastry Chef, Cathy Nichols, version of the regional classic pie and a Derby Day must. Dessert on Derby Day can only be one thing: a rich, dense chocolate pecan pie infused with Kentucky bourbon. Pie Crust: 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour 1 teaspoon sugar 1 cup butter, cut up ¼ cup ice water, more or less Filling: ½ cup butter, unsalted, melted 2 eggs 1 cup sugar ½ cup all-purpose flour 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips 1 ½ cups chopped pecans 2 tablespoons Kentucky bourbon Crust: Mix all except water in food processor until crumbly. Slowly add ice water until mixture just holds together. Wrap in a flat circle in plastic wrap. Chill over night. Form into pie pan. Filling: Beat eggs with cold butter. Add flour and sugar. Beat until mixed well. Gently fold in pecans, chocolate and bourbon. Add mixture to pie shell. Bake at 350º for about 30 minutes or until set. Serve with fresh whipped cream. Kentucky Derby Party Page 8 Planners: Glenn and Bob Seale; Nancy and Zoltan Rosztoczy Directions to the Rosztoczy’s: From River Road and N. Oracle Road: Note: The Oro Valley Police enforce the speed limit to the letter of the law. Watch your speed!!! Proceed north on Oracle Road. From Ina Road and Oracle, continue 8 more miles north. Turn left onto Rancho Vistoso Blvd. Go 1.3 miles and turn left on Placita Meseta Dorada, the entrance to “The Estates at High Mesa.” If the gate is closed, pull up beside the stanchion. Push the Call button and then dial 070. That will ring us at the house. We will answer and activate the gate to open. Go up the hill and make the first left turn onto North Placita Montanas de Oro. Go to the end at the cul-de-sac. Our house is on the left: 13542. Zoltan and Nancy Rosztoczy 13542 Pl. Montanas De Oro Oro Valley, AZ 85755 297-2131