Sunday Brunch: Louisville Hot Brown Sandwich
I found this recipe for the legendary Louisville Hot Brown sandwich (named after the hotel it was invented at) in the American Century Cookbook, the same terrific, historically oriented tome I found the cheese strata in last week.
It's one of these relay recipes that American Century author Jean Anderson got by way of Elaine Corn of the Louisville Courier-Journal, who in turn found it in the files of Cissy Gregg, that newspaper's late food editor.
The Hot Brown is a mighty tasty affair. It's basically an open-face turkey sandwich topped with a cheese sauce, garnished with bacon and sautéed sliced mushrooms. How could that be bad?
Louisville Hot Brown
- makes 4 sandwiches -
Ingredients
4 tablespoons butter
1 small yellow onion, chopped
4 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 cups milk
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon fresh ground white pepper
1/4 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
1/4 cup grated Parmesan, preferably Parmigiano-Reggiano
8 slice trimmed toast
8 slices cooked turkey breast
1/4 pound sliced mushrooms, sauteed
Procedure
1. Preheat broiler.
2. Melt butter in medium heavy saucepan over moderate heat; add onion and saute about 3 minutes, until glassy. Blend in flour. Add milk, salt and pepper and cook, whisking constantly, until thickened and smooth. Add Cheddar and Parmesan, remove from heat, and stir until melted.
3. Place one slice toast in each of the four ovenproof individual serving dishes. Top each with two slices turkey. Have remaining toast slices digonally and bracket each sandwich with two halves.
4. Ladle cheese sauce over sandwiches, dividing equally, set 4 to 5 inches from the heat, and broil quickly until sauce begins to bubble and brown--2 to 3 minutes.
5. Garnish each portion with bacon crumbles and mushroom slices. Serve at once.
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11 Comments:
A couple questions:
How much bacon should I use?
I'm not sure what you mean by "bracket" each sandwich.
I look forward to trying this recipe. Thanks!
jillybean081 at 8:42AM on 08/02/09
"Bracket" each sandwich means to put one half slice of toast on each side of the sandwich.
IndyGal at 9:05AM on 08/02/09
4 slices of bacon, crumbled, jillybean081, or one slice per person.
Ed Levine at 9:18AM on 08/02/09
Go try the Hot Brown at Lynn's Paradise Cafe in Louisville. The sandwich is yummy, but Lynn's is an absolute trip.
lemons at 10:10AM on 08/02/09
I look forward to the day after thanksgiving for my Hot Brown sandwiches more than Thanksgiving dinner itself!
swibirun at 11:17AM on 08/02/09
You can also try nitrate-free turkey bacon for a more healthy choice!
rawfoods at 1:30PM on 08/02/09
My husband and I travelled to Louisville last November and stayed at the Brown Hotel just to eat the sandwich. Definitely worth the travel. However, they serve their sandwich in a skillet with two slices of bacon criss crossed across the top, and it does not have mushrooms, but does have tomato wedges on the side. The tomatoes provide some very welcome acid to cut the richness of the sauce.
fyrebelley at 10:59PM on 08/02/09
Does the onion go into the cheese sauce? It's in the ingredient list, but I don't see it in the recipe.
gwenkern at 9:06AM on 08/03/09
gwenkern, thanks for pointing that out. I just left that phrase out of the directions. I'll change it right now.
Ed Levine at 10:36AM on 08/03/09
I really dont like this sandwich.. hot brown mess.. its sorta funky.
Also, that television program, Sandwiches You Will Like, didnt like almost all of them. fun to watch, however..
seikel at 10:43AM on 08/03/09
As a Louisvillian, I must point out that Louisville Hot Browns do *not* have mushrooms. The dish should be topped with a slice of tomato.
And that whole toast-bracketing thing, well, I've never seen that done, either.
MollieBeth at 11:39AM on 08/03/09