Sarah Fritschner, author of Derby Start to Finish, writes: “Ah! Benedictine! Most of the world thinks of it as a liqueur. In Louisville, we know it is a sandwich spread named after the eminent caterer of the early 20th century, Jenny Benedict.” These days, any mix of cucumber and onion will work – some Louisville restaurants sell a chunky Benedictine as a sandwich filling, but it’s traditionally served as a thin layer on crustless tea sandwiches. Tradition aside, Chef Sara notes that local residents eat Benedictine on everything. She particularly loves it as a topping for veggie burgers and served with extra cucumbers and some thinly sliced red onions. Sara’s recipe below takes full advantage of spring’s finest and freshest ingredients. And, you get to use food coloring.

Benedictine Watercress Dip with Roasted Asparagus

INGREDIENTS
1 medium cucumber, peeled, seeded and rough chopped
1 Tbp minced onion
8 ounces cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup mayonnaise
Dash Tabasco sauce
Salt and white pepper to taste
1/3 cup minced watercress leaves
2 drops green food coloring (optional)

METHOD
Place cucumber and minced onion in food processor and process until almost pureed. Pour out onto a clean cotton towel, gather up the edges and squeeze over a sink until dry.
Scrape the cucumber mixture back into the processor and add cream cheese, mayonnaise and Tabasco. Pulse until well mixed. Taste and then season with salt and white pepper. Add green food coloring (if using).
Fold in minced watercress and pour out into a bowl. Chill for at least 1 hour before serving. If the dip is too thick for your taste, thin with a little milk.

Roasted Asparagus

INGREDIENTS
1 Tbp olive oil
Cavender’s Greek seasoning to taste
1 bunch fresh asparagus, trimmed

METHOD
Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.
Toss asparagus with olive oil and sprinkle with Cavender’s.
Place asparagus on a baking sheet in a single layer. Bake for 4 – 6 minutes, depending on the thickness of the spears. They should be bright green, but still crisp.