No Kentucky Derby Day would be complete without mint juleps and Little Hot Browns.

Developed in the 1920’s at the Brown Hotel in Louisville, the Hot Brown is a Derby staple that is filling, savory, and satisfying.

To make this classic:

• Toast (a nice, big slice of sourdough or a tender dinner roll, split)–1-2 per person
• Sliced roasted turkey–approximately 4-6 oz per person
• Mornay sauce (basic bechamel sauce with cheese).  You pick the cheese.  Personally, I like a mixture of romano, gouda, and gruyere.  You will need 3/4 C of sauce per person. Make your sauce very thick, as it will thin out when baking.
• Sliced tomatoes–1 thick slice per serving
• Bacon–2 crispy slices per serving
• Extra cheese to finish–about 1/4 C per person

Plus a bit of butter to brown your toast.

That’s about as simple as it gets. 

Method:

Heat oven to 400 F.  Toast your buttered bread in a skillet.  Put bread into oven safe dish.  Add a smear of mornay sauce.  Top with turkey.  Add more mornay.  Add tomato*.  Add cheese.  Finish with a cross of bacon on top.  Cook for 15 minutes until bubbly and heated through.

*The Brown Hotel quarters the toms and puts them on the side to roast separately.

Stay briny,

–Stacey