The Hot Brown: The recipe for Louisville, Kentucky's Famous Sandwich

September 28, 2010 — -- The Hot Brown isn't just any old turkey sandwich. The storied sandwich has a history originating from glamorous parties at the Brown Hotel in Louisville, Kentucky.

In the 1920s, the famous hotel drew over a thousand people each night for dinner and dancing. After a night of dancing, party goers were hungry but were tired of the usual ham and egg sandwiches. So Chef Fred Schmidt got creative. He created his masterpiece, the Hot Brown, an open faced turkey sandwich covered with bacon and Mornay sauce.

Want to have a piece of the glory of the Brown Hotel? Here's the recipe from the hotel's web site.

Ingredients (Makes Two Hot Browns)

2 oz. whole butter 2 oz. all-purpose flour 1 qt. heavy cream 1/2 cup Pecorino Romano cheese, plus 1 tablespoon for garnish salt & pepper to taste 14 oz. sliced roasted turkey breast 2 slices of Texas toast (crust trimmed) 4 slices of crispy bacon 2 Roma tomatoes, sliced in half paprika, parsley

In a two-quart saucepan, melt butter and whisk in flour until you form a thick roux.

Cook the roux for two minutes over medium-low heat. Be sure to stir frequently.

Whisk whipping cream into the roux and cook over medium heat until the cream begins to simmer. This should take about 2-3 minutes.

Remove the sauce from the heat and whisk in Pecorino Romano cheese until the Mornay sauce is smooth. Add salt and pepper to taste.