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Party-Style Kentucky Hot Browns

Source of Recipe

"The Southerner's Cookbook: Recipes, Wisdom, and Stories"


Recipe Introduction

"After a night of dancing into the wee hours during the roaring twenties, revelers in Louisville would stop by the Brown Hotel's restaurant, where Chef Fred Schmidt concocted an open-faced turkey sandwich smothered in classic Mornay sauce that helped keep the good times going — or fortify the start of a workday. His rich and refined dish has endured as the hotel's signature menu item. Our recipe makes only one alteration to the basic formula: thick Texas toast provides a more solid foundation for the gravy-topped goodness."

List of Ingredients

â—¦ 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
â—¦ 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
â—¦ 2 cups heavy cream
â—¦ ½ cup grated Pecorino Romano cheese
â—¦ Pinch of freshly grated nutmeg
â—¦ 1 teaspoon kosher salt
â—¦ ½ teaspoon finely ground black pepper
â—¦ 4 thick-cut slices Texas toast, crusts removed, toasted
â—¦ 16 slices roasted turkey
â—¦ 4 Roma tomatoes, cored and chopped
â—¦ 8 cooked thick-cut bacon slices, chopped
â—¦ Chopped fresh parsley
â—¦ Paprika


Recipe

Preheat the broiler.

Melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the flour and whisk until combined. Cook, whisking, until a light golden roux comes together, about 1 minute. Slowly whisk in the cream and cook, stirring often, for 2 to 3 minutes, just until the mixture comes to a simmer, then remove from the heat. Whisk in ¼ cup of the cheese, the nutmeg, salt, and pepper.

Toast the bread under the broiler for 30 seconds to 1 minute, until browned to your liking. Place each toasted bread slice in the bottom of an individual ovenproof dish. Top each piece of toast with 4 slices of turkey

Spoon a scant ½ cup sauce over each and evenly sprinkle the remaining cheese on top. Place under the broiler and broil until lightly browned and bubbly, 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from the oven and top with the tomatoes and bacon.

Place a toothpick or skewer in each of four quadrants of each sandwich, then cut in between them to create four squares. Sprinkle with parsley, a light dusting of paprika, and a little extra salt and pepper and serve.


Makes 16 finger sandwiches