Hot Brown Recipe

If you like the classic BLT (bacon-lettuce-tomato) sandwich, you will probably like this recipe for Hot Brown as it also features the winning taste combination of bacon and tomato.

This dish comes from Kentucky where it was a popular late-night snack after dances at the Brown Hotel in Louisville. The Hot Brown is topped with a Mornay sauce which gives it a creamy texture with a little spice.

Ingredients:
2 tbsp flour
1/4 stick unsalted butter
1 1/2 cups whole milk
1/4 tspn cayenne pepper
Kosher salt to taste
4 oz. smoked turkey
6 slices of thick bread
2 Roma tomatoes, cut into 6 slices each
12 strips bacon
4 oz. sharp cheddar cheese
1 tbsp Parmesan cheese

Preparation:

1. Cook the strips of bacon until brown and crispy.
2. Lightly toast each of the slices of bread.
3. Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium-low heat.
   
4. Whisk in the flour to make a roux. Cook for a few minutes, stirring the mixture constantly until it becomes golden brown.
5. Add the milk slowly to the saucepan whisking it constantly.
6. Add the salt and cayenne pepper to taste. Cook until the sauce has thickened (about 15 minutes). Keep in mind that when you add the cheese the sauce will thicken even further.
7. Position the top oven rack about 5 inches from the broiler element and preheat the broiler.
8. Lightly toast the bread in a toaster. Both sides should be brown.
   
9. Lay the toasted bread on a rimmed baking sheet. Top each piece with 2 slices of turkey, 2 Roma tomato slices and 2 bacon strips. (Be sure to form a small "X" with the 2 slices of bacon).
10. When the sauce has thickened remove it from the heat and add cheddar cheese. Stir the sauce until it is smooth.
    
11. Pour the sauce over the open-faced sandwiches and then sprinkle each with a little Parmesan cheese.
12. Place under the broiler for about three minutes until the Parmesan is bubbly and the edges of the bread are browned. Serve hot.
    

United States Kentucky