Derby Party Recipes, Installment #3

Katherine Doll's Cheese Torte (from Doll's Market in Louisville)

This one is a tradition on Derby Day at my house.

Katherine Doll’s Cheese Torte

Serves 8 to 10

8 ounces cream cheese, softened

¼ cup minced baby spinach

1 ½ t. chutney (I use Major Grey’s)

2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese

2/3 c. mayonnaise

½ cup pecan pieces

¼ cup finely chopped white onion

Dash of Tabasco sauce

Combine 4 ounces of cream cheese with the minced spinach in a bowl and mix well. Stir the chutney into the remaining cream cheese in a separate bowl. Combine the Cheddar cheese, mayonnaise, pecans, onion and Tabasco sauce in a third bowl and mix well.

Layer half of the Cheddar cheese mixture, the spinach mixture, the chutney mixture and the remaining Cheddar cheese mixture in the order listed in a 2 cup mold or container. Chill, covered for 8-10 hours.

Invert the mold onto a platter lined with additional baby spinach. Garnish with grapes and strawberries. Serve with assorted party crackers.

For a spicier torte, add 1 minced garlic glove to the Cheddar Cheese mixture. You may substitute ½ cup drained thawed spinach for the spinach cream cheese layer, omitting the 4 ounces of cream cheese (but I never do that because, what is spinach without the cream cheese????)

So, today, I doubled the recipe and made two. One for today and another for tomorrow!

p.s. Son and daughter-in-law are here, still waiting for daughter and grandkids...