Today, I decided to try a recipe from Bobby Flay’s Bar Americain Cookbook. John took me to Bar Americain for my birthday, and we had a fantastic meal, so I asked for this cookbook on my Christmas list.
Since I still had turkey left from Christmas dinner, I was looking for something new to do with the leftovers. This recipe actually calls for you to roast a turkey breast, but I was one step ahead. The recipe is for Kentucky Hot Browns. The book says that this dish was named for the hotel where it was first served, the Brown Hotel in Louisville. It has become a traditional dish for Kentucky Derby goers.
Basically, this is an open-faced, hot, turkey sandwich served on french toast with a yummy cheese sauce. I cut the recipe in half because only John and I were eating and it serves 4 or 8. It was very easy to make. First, I fried up some bacon, 5 slices. Next, I sliced a big tomato, brushed it with oil and sprinkled with salt & pepper. I put them under the broiler until they were warm and a little charred around the edges. While they were broiling, I made a simple bechamel sauce and added grated white cheddar and parmesan, salt, pepper and a dash of nutmeg. Next, I made 4 slices of french toast – milk, egg, s & p. Once they were done, I assembled the sandwiches on a baking sheet – one slice of french toast, 2 thick slices of turkey, cheese sauce, and a little more grated cheese. I let them get brown and bubbly, then topped them with the warm tomato slices and bacon. I added a little sprig of parsley and some greens on the side.
John and I agreed that this was a very tasty dish. He suggested that it would be good for a dinner party as one slice would be a serving along with some veggie sides. This one’s a keeper!
Here’s the recipe. Remember, I cut it in half for the two of us.
Kentucky Hot Browns
Roast turkey breast
Sauce:
2 cups whole milk
2 tbsps. flour
2 tbsps. butter
2 cups white cheddar, grated
1/4 cup freshly grated parmesan
pinch of nutmeg
Put the milk in a saucepan and bring to a simmer over low heat. Melt the butter over medium-high in a medium saucepan. Whisk in the flour and cook for 1 minute. Gradually whisk in hot milk. Bring to a boil and whisk constantly until thickened. Remove from the heat and stir in cheeses. Season with nutmeg, s & p.
Sandwiches:
4 eggs
1.5 cups whole milk
8 slices good quality white sandwich bread
4 tbsps. butter
3 ripe beefsteak tomatoes
1.5 cups white cheddar, grated
1/2 cup grated parmesan
16 slices bacon
Flat leaf parsley
Whisk the eggs and milk in a baking dish. Season with s & p. Dip each slice of bread and completely soak. Heat the butter in a frying pan and cook slices until golden brown on each side.
To assemble the sandwiches, put slices of french toast on a baking sheet. Top with turkey slices. Cover with cheese sauce. Sprinkle with more cheese. Place under broiler until golden and bubbly. Top each with the charred tomato slices, strips of bacon and parsley.
Enjoy!
