KENTUCKY HOT BROWN

KENTUCKY HOT BROWN
The Kentucky sandwich. Built on a base of savory French toast, this open-faced sandwich needs no doubling up. Thick slices of turkey breast and juicy tomatoes are topped with a
decadent cheese sauce, broiled until bubbly and golden brown, then crowned with crisp slices of bacon. It’s no surprise that this dish, named for its birthplace at the Brown Hotel in
Louisville, has become Kentucky Derby lore.

Serves 4 or 8
Roast Turkey and Sauce
boneless turkey breast, about 3 pounds
tablespoons (¾ stick) unsalted butter, softened
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
cups whole milk, plus more if needed
tablespoons all-purpose flour
½ pound sharp white cheddar cheese, grated (2 cups)
¼ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Pinch of freshly grated nutmeg

Sandwiches
large eggs
½ cups whole milk, or more if needed
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
(½-inch-thick) slices day-old Pullman or other good-quality white sandwich bread
tablespoons (½ stick) unsalted butter
tablespoons canola oil
ripe beefsteak tomatoes, sliced ½ inch thick
ounces sharp white cheddar cheese, grated (1½ cups)
½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
16 (¼-inch-thick) slices bacon, cooked until crisp
Fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves, for garnish

1. To roast the turkey, preheat the oven to 425°F.
2. Rub the entire breast with 4 tablespoons butter and season with salt and pepper. Place in a small roasting pan and roast for 15 minutes. Reduce the
heat to 350°F and continue roasting the turkey until a thermometer inserted into the center registers 155°F, 1 to 1½ hours. Remove from the oven, tent
loosely with foil, and let rest for 10 minutes before slicing.
3. To make the sauce, put the milk in a small saucepan and bring to a simmer over low heat. Melt the remaining 2 tablespoons butter over medium-high
heat in a medium saucepan. Whisk in the flour and cook for 1 minute. Gradually whisk in the hot milk. Bring to a boil and cook, whisking constantly, until
thickened and the raw flour taste has cooked out, 4 to 5 minutes. Stir in more milk if the sauce is too thick to pour.
4. Remove from the heat and whisk in the cheddar and Parmesan cheeses, whisking until the cheddar has melted. Season with the nutmeg and salt and
pepper to taste. Keep warm.
5. To make the sandwiches, whisk together the eggs and milk in a medium baking dish. Season with salt and pepper. Dip each slice of bread in the
mixture and let sit until completely soaked through, about 10 seconds per side.
6. Heat 1 tablespoon of the butter and 1 tablespoon of the oil in a large nonstick sauté pan over medium-high heat. Working in batches, cook 2 slices of
the bread at a time until golden brown on both sides, about 2 minutes per side. Repeat with the remaining butter, 3 tablespoons oil, and bread.
7. Preheat the broiler.
8. Put the tomatoes on a rimmed baking sheet, brush with the remaining 2 tablespoons oil, and season with salt and pepper. Broil until slightly charred
and just cooked through, 3 to 4 minutes.
9. Place 4 slices of the egg bread on a baking sheet, slide under the broiler, and heat just to warm through, 20 seconds on each side. Repeat with the
remaining bread.
10. Top each slice of bread with 2 to 3 slices turkey. Ladle sauce over the top and divide the cheddar and Parmesan over the top of each slice. Place
under the broiler and cook until bubbly and the tops are golden brown, about 2 minutes. Remove from the oven, top each slice with 2 slices of bacon and
a tomato slice, and sprinkle with parsley.