Disclaimer: I know the Kentucky Derby is the weekend of May 5. However, that also falls on another holiday (think margaritas) so we had to pick only one for that weekend. However, we still wanted to do some Derby-style cooking, so we thought this past Sunday would be as good as any, and delved into creating a Southern menu to impress those Derby fans. Trust me... if you throw a Derby party, you'll be borrowing some of these recipes!
Cocktail - Mint Julep
Did you really think we'd make something else? Unfortunately, we didn't have those cute little julep cups, so made do with rocks glasses, but it still worked out great. You must steep the mint and marry those flavors overnight. And upon taste-testing, I would say even muddle some mint in your glass, too. This drink is strong, but if you serve it with lots of crushed ice, it gets smoother and milder as you drink. (We also used 1/2 of the syrup as recommended... but we're not sugary-drink people. Add to your tastes.)
Appetizer - Zucchini Corn Fritters w/ a Roasted Garlic Parsley Dipping Sauce
Hmmm. This is kind of difficult to review. We must have done something wrong. If you look at the pictures on the recipe's website, they are light and fluffy. Ours came out dense and not cake-like. We did end up adding a lot more flour and some cornmeal to the batch because it was so runny. We also used a deep fryer, which I think may have been the problem. So my only recommendation is to pan-fry as originally instructed. But regardless - they were very tasty! The flavor was spot on, and the dipping sauce was unbelievable! The sauce made all the deep-fry calories worthwhile!
Entree - Stuffed Pork Tenderloin over Grilled Kale Drizzled w/ Grilled Peach Whiskey Beurre Blanc
I don't even know where to start with this incredible meal, but I'll take you step by step.
Stuffed Pork Tenderloin. I prefer to do the 3-method butterfly of the pork so it gives you more space to work with and it will roll up easier. (3-Step Method) The stuffing was delicious, but the mushroom/sausage mixture definitely cooked down in less than 5 minutes. We used some leftover chorizo from a week-day meal in place of andouille. We also used bagged cornbread stuffing so added a little extra water to moisten it at the end. (And don't forget the splash of whiskey!)
Grilled Kale. Who knew? Follow the instructions exactly and you want go wrong. Biting into the crisp kale, you get a sudden burst of citrus from the lemon juice and its just delicious. And its so versatile! You can probably add whatever spices you'd like, it definitely complemented this wonderful green.
Grilled Peach Whiskey Beurre Blanc. When I read this, my heart fluttered. Beurre Blanc is one of those things that I still cannot master and I always gravitate towards it when I see it on a menu. But with peaches and whiskey? Really? YES! First, we used canned peaches (they are not in season) and it was fine. We followed the recipe exactly, except at the end - we did NOT strain. We incorporated the cream and the butter with the chopped peaches mixture and let it reduce like that. This way when we served, it was more of a chunky sauce then a drizzle of liquid. And I think it was superb that way! I could drink this stuff with a straw. (Side note - would probably be delicious with mangoes as well.)
Overall - fantastic meal. Such an unexpected pleasure!
Entree Wine - 2009 Camins del Priorat
Wine Advocate - 94/100
New term. Jackpot. (We'll retire that in a little while, too.) This Spanish red was a-ma-zing. It has strong aromas of plum, licorice, and black cherry with a soft subtle flavor of dark spicy fruit and a slight sweetness. It has very fine tannins which gives it the perfect strength to balance a meal that included a little bit of everything. I'll admit - the team at Harry's raised an eyebrow... after all, we are talking pork stuffed with a spicy sausage but with a fruit-butter sauce on top. But Christelle took on the challenge and she definitely did not steer us wrong!
Dessert - Bourbon-Orange Pecan Pie with Bourbon Whipped Cream
Superb - but with some changes. As the reviewers on the original website said, we added 2 Tbsp of cornstarch to help thicken the filling, and it probably could have used a little more... this was not easy to plate. We did NOT use candied orange peel (it is incredibly difficult to find) but stuck with the orange zest and it was perfectly fine that way. I don't know if candied orange peel would have made any difference at all. Actually, it may have overpowered, because the orange flavor is very strong, but it is a nice flavor to counter the sweetness of the pecan pie and the strength of the bourbon. Very tasty.
Aperitif - Bastille Hand-Crafted Whiskey
This French whiskey was a pleasant surprise for the whiskey lovers and even non-whiskey drinkers in the group. This whiskey is light and almost floral initially with a smooth finish that has fruit and even a slight malty taste. Definitely try this one - it's exotic, affordable, and best served neat. (Adding ice would detract from the gentle flavor.)
Next Week - A Tapas Party For 12
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