Derby Flavors: The Brown Hotel's Hot Brown

It’s Derby Week in Louisville, Ky. and we’ve got the historic Brown Hotel’s Hot Brown recipe to make your week even tastier.

Hot Brown

(makes two hot browns)

Ingredients:

2 oz. whole butter
2 oz. all-purpose flour
8 oz. heavy cream
8 oz. whole milk
½ cup of Pecorino Romano cheese plus 1 tablespoon for garnish
pinch of ground nutmeg
salt and pepper to taste
14 oz. sliced roasted turkey breast, slice thick
4 slices of Texas Toast (crust trimmed)
4 slices of crispy bacon
2 Roma tomatoes, sliced in half
paprika
parsley

Preparation:

In a two‑quart saucepan, melt butter and slowly whisk in flour until combined and forms a thick paste (roux). Continue to cook roux for two minutes over medium‑low heat, stirring frequently. Whisk heavy cream and whole milk into the roux and cook over medium heat until the cream begins to simmer, about 2‑3 minutes. Remove sauce from heat and slowly whisk in Pecorino Romano cheese until the Mornay sauce is smooth. Add nutmeg, salt and pepper to taste.

For each hot brown, place two slices of toast with the crusts cut off in an oven safe dish – one slice is cut in half corner to corner to make two triangles and the other slice is left in a square shape – then cover with 7 ounces of turkey. Take the two halves of Roma tomato and two toast points and set them alongside the base of the turkey and toast. Next, pour one half of the Mornay sauce to completely cover the dish. Sprinkle with additional Pecorino Romano cheese. Place the entire dish in the oven. Suggested bake time is 20 minutes at 350º. When the cheese begins to brown and bubble, remove from oven, cross two pieces of crispy bacon on top, sprinkle with paprika and parsley, and serve immediately.

Recipe Courtesy of The Brown Hotel in Louisville, Ky. | Photos by Chris Witzke

P.S. What’s your Derby mood?