BOURBON AND BEYOND

A newly released cookbook celebrates the bounty of the Bluegrass.

Photos by Dan Dry

Bourbon is the first uniquely American distilled spirit, and one that is synonymous with Kentucky, so it seems only fitting that a new cookbook co-authored by David Danielson, Executive Chef at Churchill Downs, and Tim Laird, Chief Entertaining Offcer at Brown-Forman, would be released just in time for the 144th running of the Kentucky Derby. Not to be relegated to the bookshelf once the first Saturday in May has passed, the engaging format of "The Bourbon Country Cookbook: New Southern Entertaining: 95 Recipes and More from a Modern Kentucky Kitchen", distills the spirit and hospitality—both new and old—of great Southern food and drink into 95 accessible recipes designed to help readers achieve the ease and elegance of Bourbon Country entertaining in their own homes throughout the year.

To help with your own Derby and springtime entertaining, the authors have been gracious enough to share several recipes from the book, which is arranged by the kinds of traditional fare one might find on a Kentucky table—pickles, vegetables, ancient grains, bounties from the barnyard, and (of course)bourbon cocktails. A common thread among all of the recipes is that they pay homage to the rituals and victuals of yesteryear while embracing the new Southern palate and the flavors of modern Kentucky bourbon.

Kentucky Bourbon Cheese Fondue

Makes: 4 to 6 servings

Ingredients:

Ingredients:16–20 spears asparagus (about 1 pound), woody ends removed

1 pound red potatoes, skin on, cut into 1-inch cubes

3 tablespoons all-purpose flour

4 cups firmly packed shredded sharp white cheddar

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

¼ cup grated yellow onion

1 cup whole milk

3 teaspoons dry mustard

⅛ teaspoon celery seed

2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce

¼ cup bourbon

1 teaspoon finely chopped chives, for garnish

1 baguette, cut into 1-inch cubes, for dipping

Directions:

To blanch the asparagus, prepare a bowl of cold water with ice. Pour 1 inch of water into a large frying pan and bring it to a boil over high heat. Add the asparagus and return the water to a boil, cooking the asparagus for about 2 minutes, or until it is bright green and just tender. Drain the asparagus and immediately plunge it into the ice bath to stop the cooking process. When cool, drain well and pat dry.

To blanch the potatoes, bring 1 quart of water to boil in amedium saucepan set over high heat. Add the potatoes andsimmer for about 12 minutes, or until fork tender. When cooked,drain well and pat dry. Set the vegetables aside while you makethe fondue.

In a medium bowl, toss the flour and cheddar to combine. Setit aside. In a large, heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium heat,melt the butter. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally,until it becomes translucent, about 3 minutes. Stir in the milkand bring the mixture to a slow boil. Add the mustard, celeryseed, and Worcestershire.

Slowly add the floured cheddar, one small handful at a time,whisking until the cheese is melted and completely incorporatedbefore adding another handful. Continue whisking the mixtureuntil it’s smooth. Reduce the heat to low and stir in the bourbon.Transfer the mixture to a fondue pot and garnish with the chives.

Serve immediately with the potatoes, asparagus, and baguettefor dipping.

Reprinted with permission from The Bourbon Country Cookbook by David Danielson and Tim Laird, Agate Surrey, 2018.

Kentucky Mule

Makes: 1 cocktail

Ingredients:

1½ ounces bourbon

3 ounces ginger beer

Squeeze of 1 lime wedge (about ⅛ teaspoon)

Lime wedge, for garnish

Directions:

Directions: Combine the bourbon, ginger beer, and squeeze of lime in a rocks glass filled with ice. Stir the mixture, garnish with the lime wedge, and serve.

Reprinted with permission from The Bourbon Country Cookbook by David Danielson and Tim Laird, Agate Surrey, 2018.

Bloody Mary Shrimp Salad

Makes: 6 servings

Ingredients:

10 ounces medium shrimp, cooked, peeled, deveined, tails removed (about 1½ cups)

2 cups seeded and diced tomatoes

1 cup finely diced celery

½ cup diced English cucumber, unpeeled

⅓ cup halved pimento-stuffed olives

¼ cup thinly sliced red onion

½ cup Bloody Kentucky Bloody Mary mix (see page 68)

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

½ teaspoon celery seed

3 tablespoons finely chopped flat-leaf parsley

Juice of ½ lemon

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Directions:

In a large bowl, combine the shrimp, tomatoes, celery, cucumber, olives, and red onion. Add the Bloody Mary mix, oil, celery seed, parsley, and lemon juice and toss until evenly coated. Taste and add salt and pepper as needed. Serve immediately or refrigerate, covered, until ready to serve or for up to 4 hours.

Reprinted with permission from The Bourbon Country Cookbook by David Danielson and Tim Laird, Agate Surrey, 2018.

Sweet Potato and Dandelion Salad with Bourbon Sorghum Dressing

Makes: 6 servings

Ingredients:

4 jumbo sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes

3 tablespoons canola oil

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

1 cup dandelion greens, stemmed and cut into ½-inch strips (1 bunch)

Bourbon Sorghum Dressing (recipe follows), room temperature

¼ cup salted roasted peanuts

Preheat the oven to 400°F.

Directions:

On a baking sheet, spread the sweet potatoes evenly, drizzle them with the canola oil, and season with salt and pepper. Bake for 30 to 40 minutes, until the potatoes become tender and are browning around the edges. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool to room temperature. In a large mixing bowl, combine the potatoes and dandelion greens. Add the desired amount of Bourbon Sorghum Dressing and toss to coat evenly. Transfer to a serving platter, top with the peanuts, and serve.

Bourbon Sorghum Dressing (Makes: 2½ cups)

Ingredients:

1 cup extra virgin olive oil

1 cup apple cider vinegar

½ cup sorghum, room temperature

¼ cup bourbon1 tablespoon grated yellow onion

¾ teaspoon kosher sal

t½ teaspoon paprika

½ teaspoon hot sauce

Directions:

In a blender, combine the oil, vinegar, sorghum, bourbon,onion, salt, paprika, and hot sauce. Blend on low until all the ingredients are combined. Transfer to an airtight container and store in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.

Reprinted with permission from The Bourbon Country Cookbook by David Danielson and Tim Laird, Agate Surrey, 2018.

Bourbon Chocolate Pecan Pie

Makes: 8 servings

Pie Crust:

1¼ cups all-purpose flour, plus more for rolling out the dough

1 tablespoon granulated sugar

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1 stick unsalted butter, chilled and cut into ½-inch cubes

3–5 tablespoons ice water

Filling:

3 large eggs

1 cup packed dark brown sugar

½ cup light corn syrup ½

cup dark corn syrup

¼ cup bourbon

2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

½ teaspoon kosher salt

1½ cups pecan halves, divided

¾ cup bittersweet chocolate chips, divided

To make the pie crust, in a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, and salt. Add the butter and, using a fork, cut it into the flour mixture until the butter is about the size of large peas. Slowly add 3 tablespoons of the water, mixing with a fork just until the dough holds together. Add more water only if needed. Using your hands, flatten the dough into a disk. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour, or until chilled.

On a floured work surface, roll the dough into a ⅛-inch-thick round. Transfer the dough to a 9-inch pie plate. Trim the edges of the dough, allowing ½ inch to hang over the rim of the plate. Fold the extra dough onto the rim of the plate and crimp the edge with a fork.

Preheat the oven to 325°F.

To make the filling, in a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, brown sugar, light and dark corn syrups, bourbon, butter, and salt. Stir in 1 cup of the pecans and ½ cup of the chocolate chips. Pour the filling into the crust and sprinkle with the remaining ½cup of pecans and the remaining ¼ cup of chocolate chips. Bake for 50 to 60 minutes, until the crust is golden brown and the filling is set. Cool the pie on a wire rack to room temperature before serving.

Reprinted with permission from The Bourbon Country Cookbook by David Danielson and Tim Laird, Agate Surrey, 2018.

Mixed Berry Hand Pies

Makes: 6 servings

Filling:

⅓ cup sugar

2 tablespoons cornstarch

1⅓ cups fresh blackberries

1⅓ cups fresh raspberries

½ cup fresh blueberries

½ teaspoon freshly grated orange zest

Dough:

2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting

¾ teaspoon kosher salt

½ teaspoon baking powder

2 sticks unsalted butter, chilled and cut into pieces

½ cup sour cream

1 large egg, lightly beaten

To make the filling, in a large bowl, combine the sugar and cornstarch. Add the blackberries, raspberries, blueberries, and orange zest and toss until evenly coated. Set aside.

To make the dough, in a large bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, and baking powder. Add the butter, working it in with a fork until the mixture is coarse, crumbly, and most of the butter pieces are pea-size.

Add the sour cream and stir until the mixture starts to come together in chunks. Turn the dough out onto a floured work surface and bring it together with a few quick kneads.

Pat the dough into a rough log, and roll it into an 8 × 10-inch rectangle. Dust both sides of the dough with the flour and, starting with a shorter end, fold the dough in thirds. Flip the dough over, give it a 90-degree turn, and roll it again into an 8 × 10-inch rectangle. Fold it in thirds again, then wrap the dough in plastic wrap and chill for at least 30 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line a large rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper and set it aside. Roll the chilled pie dough to an 11-inch square on a lightly floured surface. Cut four large (5-inch) circles out of the dough, saving the trimmings. Place the dough rounds on the prepared baking sheet and put about ⅓ cup of the berry mixture onto half of each round. Lightly brush the edge of each circle with the egg. Fold the dough over the filling and crimp the edges tightly to seal. Cut 3 small vents on top of each pie. Repeat with the remaining dough and berry mixture. Brush the tops with the remaining egg.

Bake the pies for 30 to 35 minutes, until golden. Transfer to a wire rack to cool. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Reprinted with permission from The Bourbon Country Cookbook by David Danielson and Tim Laird, Agate Surrey, 2018.