Hot Brown

- Total Time
- 25 minutes
- Rating
- Comments
- Read comments
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Ingredients
- 1(8-inch) sandwich loaf (about 20 ounces), cut evenly into 8 slices, crust removed
- 2tomatoes, quartered
- 1pound roasted turkey breast, thickly sliced
- ¼cup unsalted butter (½ stick)
- ¼cup all-purpose flour
- 1cup heavy cream
- 1cup whole milk
- ½cup shredded Pecorino Romano (about 1½ ounces)
- Pinch of ground nutmeg
- Salt and freshly ground pepper
- Shredded Pecorino Romano, for sprinkling
- 8slices crisp cooked bacon
- Chopped parsley, for garnish
- Paprika, for garnish
For the Sandwich
For the Mornay Sauce
For Assembling
Preparation
- Step 1
Prepare the sandwich: Heat oven to 400 degrees. Cut 4 bread slices in half diagonally. Divide the remaining 4 whole slices among four individual 7-by-9-inch (or other similarly sized) baking dishes (see Tip), and place 2 pieces of halved bread on opposite sides of the bread, positioning the longest side of each triangle closest to the whole slice of bread. The formation will look like a two-way arrow. Nestle a piece of tomato on either side of the whole slices of bread, forming a square shape with the bread triangles. Divide the turkey slices among the whole slices of bread. Transfer the casseroles to the oven to toast as you prepare the sauce.
- Step 2
Prepare the Mornay sauce: Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in flour until mixture forms a roux. Cook over medium-low heat, whisking frequently, 2 minutes. Whisk heavy cream and milk into the roux and cook over medium until the sauce begins to simmer and thicken, 2 to 3 minutes.
- Step 3
Remove the sauce from the heat and whisk in ½ cup Pecorino Romano until the sauce is smooth. Add nutmeg, salt and pepper to taste.
- Step 4
Remove the dishes from the oven and pour the Mornay sauce over each, smothering the meat, bread and tomatoes.
- Step 5
Sprinkle additional Pecorino Romano on top of each dish and broil until the cheese begins to brown and bubble, 4 to 5 minutes, working in batches, if necessary.
- Step 6
Remove from the broiler and cross 2 slices of bacon over each dish. Sprinkle with parsley and paprika, and serve immediately.
- You can also assemble this in a 9-by-13-inch casserole dish. Do not slice the bread into triangles, and instead overlap bread to fit casserole, dividing turkey among each bread slice, and nestling tomato quarters evenly along the longer sides of the dish. Prepare and broil as described. Top each broiled square with a slice of bacon broken in half and crossed. Garnish.
Private Notes
Comments
This is when I wish NYTimes Cooking had illustrations like some test kitchens that will remain unnamed. Step 1 is a mind-bender without pictures!
YES! “Prepare the sandwich: Heat oven to 400 degrees. Cut 4 bread slices in half diagonally. Divide the remaining 4 whole slices among four individual 7-by-9-inch (or other similarly sized) baking dishes (see Tip), and place 2 pieces of halved bread on opposite sides of the bread, positioning the longest side of each triangle closest to the whole slice of bread. The formation will look like a two-way arrow. Nestle a piece of tomato on either side of the whole slices of bread…” <———>O What??
Please do not publish the nutritional information. I'd just rather not know.
Consider toasting roux prior to adding liquid. Adds great but subtle complexity
Have never seen this recipe before, or made it, without first toasting the bread. I would think it would be soggy!
Cissy Gregg’s recipe in The Courier-Journal & Times Cook Book toasts the bread before assembling the sandwich. She uses a Mornay sauce and tops the sandwich with a bacon strip and a mushroom. I grew up in Lexington, KY, using toasted bread, leftover turkey and ham, and a simple cheese sauce made with cheddar cheese. My mother topped the Hot Brown with a bacon strip and a tomato slice near the end of the baking time. It is a popular family dish after Thanksgiving and Christmas.
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