The 148th run for the roses will feature a full house at Churchill Downs on Saturday, but for those watching the fastest two minutes in sports from home the right lineup of food, drinks and expert tips will be sure to bring all the same pomp and circumstance to your Derby Day festivities.
Celebrity chef and restaurant owner Kelsey Barnard Clark curated a delicious official at-home menu in partnership with Churchill Downs with recipes from her cookbook, "Southern Grit," for this year's Kentucky Derby.
The "Top Chef Kentucky" champ told "Good Morning America" she "really got connected to the derby" during her time on the culinary reality show. "It was a lot of Derby focused challenges, which was so fun. I think the really cool thing about the derby is even if you don't follow a ton of horse racing, the fashion, the food and the style of it is so old school and a great time."
MORE: How the mint julep became an iconic Kentucky Derby cocktail and the official recipe to make it at home"I love any excuse on the planet to have people over and throw a party. And I have done Kentucky Derby themed parties so many times," she said. And for Clark, the key to success when planning the food and drinks is to start with some basic logisitics like "will people be sitting down, what are they wearing, what time of day is it, will people want light food or heavy food? And then I work backwards."
Her "fun, light" food and drink lineup below is "mostly pick up and walk around type of food" and easy to entertain while having a good time.
"The okra, the deviled eggs and the wings are are pretty much my three favorite foods on the entire planet," Clark said of the below recipes. "To me, you've gotta drink some bourbon and the Kentucky Derby and Churchill Downs has been partnered with Woodford Reserve since day one -- the mint julep I think is perfect because it's refreshing and light and watered down -- so it's a smart drink as well."
Check out a full recipe and more of the history on the classic cocktail here.
She also shared a great tip to approach any derby menu for the action-packed horse race: "I always say to people, 'stay within your wheelhouse when you're throwing a party -- do something that you know you're not going to be stressed out making.'"
Another must in Clark's book, "you've got to have red roses -- the Kentucky Derby is the one time you have to have them -- even if you do a few in some bud vases, you don't have to spend a ton of time on it. But it goes with the whole theme and flowers add something so nice to a party."
Ingredients
6 eggs
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1 tsp stone ground mustard
1/4 tsp onion powder
1 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp paprika
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Chimichurri
1 cup chopped Vidalia onion
3/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 cup red wine vinegar
1/2 cup chopped cilantro
1/4 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley
3 or 4 garlic cloves
1 tsp salt, plus more to taste
Herb Salad
1/4 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley
2 Tbsp whole dill fronds
2 Tbsp minced chives
2 Tbsp chopped tarragon leaves
1/2 cup thinly sliced country ham or prosciutto
Directions
How to boil the perfect egg: Completely submerge the eggs in a saucepot filled with cold water. Bring to a boil, then immediately turn off the heat and cover. Set a timer for 8 minutes and let stand, covered, until the timer goes off. Immediately pour out the hot water and fill the pot with ice. Let sit for 5 minutes before peeling.
How to make the perfect filling: Halve the eggs vertically using a sharp knife. Using a small spoon, carefully scoop out the yolks and place them in a small bowl. Place the egg whites on a plate and set aside. In a food processor, combine the yolks, mayonnaise, mustard, onion powder, garlic powder, and paprika and mix until completely smooth. With the processor switched off, scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula to be sure all the ingredients are incorporated and the mixture is smooth. Season with salt and pepper. Use a piping bag with a medium round tip to fill the hollows in the egg whites.
To make the chimichurri: Combine the onion, oil, vinegar, cilantro, parsley, garlic, and salt in a food processor and puree until smooth. Taste and adjust the salt. Set aside.
To make the pickled mustard seeds: Combine the mustard seeds, vinegar, 2 cups of water, and the salt in a small saucepan over medium heat and bring to a boil. Immediately lower the heat to low and simmer for 20 minutes, or until tender. Strain and let cool before using. If not using immediately, keep refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 3 months.
To make the herb salad: Toss the herbs together in a small bowl. Pro tip: You can do this the day before, cover them with ice water, and refrigerate overnight. Simply drain and dry the herbs on a paper towel when ready to use. They’ll be as fresh as if you just picked them.
To assemble: Prepare a dozen eggs. Top each with a slice of ham, a drizzle of chimichurri, a sprinkle of herb salad, and a dollop of mustard seeds.
Serves: 3 to 4
Ingredients
20 to 25 medium to large okra pods, sliced lengthwise
3 Tbs. olive oil
1 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. onion powder
1 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. celery seed
1 tsp. Tajín Clásico seasoning (optional)
Sriracha Cheat Sauce
1 cup (7 1/2 oz./240 g) mayonnaise
3 Tbs. sriracha
1 Tbs. barbecue sauce
Directions
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. In a medium mixing bowl, toss the okra with the oil, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, celery seed, and Tajín, if using. On a sheet pan (or two) lined with parchment paper, space the okra out in a single layer without touching. Cook for 20 minutes, stirring halfway through. They should be brown and crispy. Serve warm as a snack or side dish with any of the cheat sauces (just mix the ingredients together).
For the sauce, combine ingredients in a bowl and stir.
Ingredients
2 cups baby lima beans, fresh or frozen
Salt
3 Tbsp unsalted butter
1 cup chopped Conecuh sausage
1 cup chopped Vidalia onion
1/4 cup chopped celery
1/4 cup chopped bell pepper, red or green
2 garlic cloves, minced
3 cups fresh sweet corn kernels
1 cup pickled okra, cut into 1/2 in rounds
1 cup halved cherry tomatoes
1 heirloom tomato, sliced into 1/4 inch rounds (optional)
1/2 tsp Old Bay seasoning
1/4 cup minced flatleaf parsley
1/4 cup chiffonade green onion
Directions
Place the lima beans in a medium saucepan and add enough water to cover by 1-inch. Bring to a boil, then add a dash of salt. Lower the heat and simmer for 10 minutes. Drain and set the beans aside.
While the beans are cooking, melt the butter in a cast iron skillet over medium heat. Add the sausage and render the fat, stirring frequently, for 8 to 10 minutes. Remove the sausage and leave the fat in the skillet. Add the onion, celery, bell pepper, and garlic and cook over low heat for 5 to 6 minutes, or until just tender. Stir in the lima beans, corn, and okra and cook for 5 to 6 minutes, or until the corn is tender and bright yellow. Turn the heat to high, add the cherry tomatoes and tomato slices, if using, and stir constantly for 2 minutes.
Season with the Old Bay and adjust the salt.
Garnish with the parsley and green onion and serve.
Ingredients
1/2 cup light brown sugar
1/4 cup salt
1/4 cup smoked paprika
1 Tbsp onion powder
1 Tbsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp ground ginger
5 lb chicken wings, rinsed and patted dry
Alabama White BBQ Sauce
1 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
1 tsp honey
1/2 tsp Crystal hot sauce
1/2 tsp smoked paprika
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp onion powder
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
Pinch of cayenne pepper
Directions
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Line a half sheet pan with parchment paper.
To make the wings: In a medium bowl, stir together all the dry ingredients. Add the wings and toss with the dry rub to coat, patting so the rub sticks. Place the wings on the prepared pan and cook for 12 to 15 minutes, or until golden brown and cooked throughout. Let cool for 10 minutes before serving.
To make the sauce: In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together all the ingredients. Enjoy immediately or keep refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 3 months.
Recipes adapted from "Southern Grit" and reprinted with permission courtesy of Kelsey Barnard Clark and Williams Sonoma.
