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Kentucky Derby Party Recipes

Ingredients

  • 8 to 10 slices sourdough sandwich bread
  • 1 medium cucumber, thinly sliced
  • 1 scarlet turnip or watermelon radish, thinly sliced
  • 5 small red radishes, thinly sliced
  • ¼ cup chopped chives and/or a few microgreens for garnish
  • 1¼ cup hulled sunflower seeds
  • 1 cup water
  • 1 garlic clove
  • 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
  • 1 tablespoon rice vinegar or white wine vinegar
  • ½ teaspoon sea salt
  • Freshly ground black pepper
  • ¼ cup chopped fresh dill
  • 1½ cups raw cashews
  • ½ cup water, more if needed to blend
  • 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
  • 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
  • 1 teaspoon sriracha
  • 2 tablespoons jarred pimento peppers, more if desired
  • 1 garlic clove
  • ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • Freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 teaspoon chopped chives, for garnish
  • Crackers
  • Sliced vegetables (radishes, celery, or veggies of your choice
  • 2 cups pecans (lightly toasted, optional)
  • 12 soft Medjool dates, pitted and soaked (if they’re very dry)
  • ½ teaspoon sea salt
  • 1½ teaspoons maple syrup
  • 2 tablespoons coconut milk, if necessary
  • 1 cup dark chocolate chips, melted
  • Crushed pecans
  • Coarse sea salt

Instructions

  1. Make the Sunflower dill spread: In a blender, combine the sunflower seeds, water, garlic, lemon juice, rice vinegar, salt, and a generous pinch of pepper. Blend until smooth. Add the dill and blend until just combined. You want the dill flecks to incorporate, but you don’t want the puree to turn green. Chill until ready to use. Stir before using.
  2. Assemble the sandwiches with a thin layer of the sunflower spread, followed by overlapping rows of the sliced cucumber, turnip and radishes (see photo). Gently press the vegetables down onto the bread to ensure that they will hold together. Use a sharp chef’s knife to slice off the crusts and then slice the sandwiches in half into rectangles. Garnish with chives and/or microgreens.
  3. In a high speed blender, combine the cashews, water, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, sriracha, pimento peppers, garlic, smoked paprika, salt and a generous pinch of pepper. Blend until smooth, using the blender baton to help keep the blade moving. If the mixture is too thick, gradually add more water until smooth. Chill until ready to use.
  4. Garnish the dip with the chopped chives and serve with crackers, celery, and radishes for dipping.
  5. In a food processor, pulse together the pecans, dates and sea salt. Add the maple syrup and pulse until the mixture sticks together (it should clump together to form a ball). If the mixture is too dry or crumbly, gradually add some coconut milk. Use a tablespoon to scoop the mixture and roll it into approximately ¾-inch balls. If the mixture is too soft or sticky to work with, put it in the fridge for 30 minutes to firm up.
  6. Once the balls are rolled, place them in the fridge for at least 1 hour to firm up. This will help them stay cohesive while dipping in the chocolate.
  7. Melt the chocolate in a small bowl. Dip each ball to coat and place on parchment paper or a wire rack. Top with the crushed pecans and/or coarse sea salt.