Kentucky Derby Party Foods

by Charles Duke

 Put on your derby dress and that fancy hat and throw a derby party. Plenty of mint juleps, a little wagering and fine finger food. A Saturday afternoon to remember. here are some foods to consider and a mint julep recipe at the bottom.

Slow Cooked Wild Boar Sliders

  • 5-6 pound To-Table Wild Boar Shoulder
  • olive oil to coat roasts
  • 2 tablespoons of To-Table Dry Rub
  • 1 onion with skin on -chopped
  • 2 carrots - rough cut
  • 1 bunch parsley - chopped
  • 6 cloves garlic
  • 1 in small can diced tomatoes juice or paste
  • 1/2 cup bourbon
  • 1/2 cup brown sugar
  • To-Table Hot Peach Sauce
  • Crumbled Blue Cheese (optional)
  • small slider buns
  1. Cut roast into two manageable pieces
  2. Rub roast with olive oil and dry rub seasoning  liberally, set aside
  3. Chop the vegetables for your slow cooker or dutch oven
  4. Heat a large saute pan on your stove top and when pan is very hot add a little olive oil and sear both sides of your roast.
  5. Place cut veggies and garlic in bottom of your slow cooker or dutch oven.
  6. Add the roast, bourbon, brown sugar and diced tomatoes.
  7. cover slow cooker or dutch oven and cook on low or, if using dutch oven,190 degrees in oven for approx. 7 hours
  8. The sauce that is in the bottom of the slow cooker or dutch oven should be strained and placed in a small sauce pot, reducing the liquid by half over a medium - high heat.
  9. Pull the wild boar meat into small pieces, mixing in the sauce that came from the slow cooker or dutch oven. Place pulled boar on the buns and drizzle with the Hot Peach Sauce and top with crumbled blue cheese (optional)

Pickled Shrimp 

  • 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons kosher salt
  • 1 pound To-Table large shrimp, shelled and deveined
  • 2 cups extra-virgin olive oil
  • 6 lemons, halved and juiced (1 cup), lemons reserved
  • 4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
  • 1 medium Vidalia onion, halved and thinly sliced
  • 18 bay leaves
  • 1/2 cup flat-leaf parsley
  • 3 ounces crab boil seasoning
Step 1    

In a saucepan, boil 8 cups of water with 1/4 cup of the salt. Add the shrimp; boil until cooked, 2 minutes. Drain and chill in an ice bath; drain again.

Step 2    

In a medium bowl, whisk the olive oil with the lemon juice and the remaining salt. In two 1-quart glass jars, layer the shrimp, garlic, onion, bay leaves, parsley and 6 of the lemon halves. Add the crab boil seasoning and the lemon dressing and cover. Marinate the shrimp in the fridge for 
12 to 24 hours before serving.

Ham Biscuits

Buttermilk or other Biscuits

To-Table Country Ham (thinly Sliced)

Dijon Mustad (optional)

Fresh Crab Cakes

  • 1/2 cup sour cream
  • 1/2 cup mayonnaise
  • 2 tablespoons drained bottled horseradish
  • 1 pound To-Table Peekytoe crabmeat, picked free of shell
  • 1 cup dry bread crumbs
  • 3 scallions including green tops, chopped
  • 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
  • Pinch cayenne
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon fresh-ground black pepper
  • 3 tablespoons cooking oil
  1. In a small bowl, whisk together the sour cream, 1/4 cup of the mayonnaise, and the horseradish.
  2. In a large bowl, combine the crabmeat, the remaining 1/4 cup mayonnaise, 1/4 cup of the bread crumbs, the scallions, parsley, cayenne, salt, and pepper. Shape the crab mixture into patties  (whatever size your desire). Coat the patties with the remaining 3/4 cup bread crumbs and pat off the excess.
  3. In a large nonstick frying pan, heat the oil over moderate heat. Working in batches if necessary, fry the cakes until golden brown and crisp, about 2 minutes. Turn and fry until golden brown on the other side, about 2 minutes longer. Drain on paper towels. Serve with the horseradish cream.

Southern Cheese Grits

  • 1 cup of To-Table Stone Ground White Grits, cooked according to directions
  • 1/4 cup of milk
  • 1 1/2 sticks of butter (12 Tablespoons)
  • 3 cups of grated medium cheddar cheese
  • 4 garlic cloves minced
  • 4 eggs
  • 2/3 tsp salt
  • 1/2 tsp pepper
  • scallions (optional)
  1. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees and butter or spray 8 ramekins or a 2 8x8 baking dishes. Cook the grits according the the directions.  On the stovetop, melt butter with minced garlic. Add in the cooked grits, cheese, and milk. Stir over medium heat until combined, then cool to luke warm. Whisk the two eggs together with salt and pepper, then add the eggs to the warm grits. Stir everything until well combined then ladle out into the ramekins or a baking dish. Bake at 325 for 30-40 minutes or until beginning to brown on top. (The time will depend on the dish you're cooking them in). Serve immediately.

The Mint Julep

2 oz. bourbon
1/2 oz. simple syrup
3 mint leaves
Crushed Ice
  1. Express the essential oils in the mint and rub them inside the glass.
  2. Add simple syrup, bourbon and crushed ice. Stir.
  3. Garnish with more ice and fresh mint, and if desired, lime slices and drink stirrers.

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