Saturday, November 29, 2008

Foxy Brown

Some of you have been asking about this Hot Brown that I declared I would make with leftover turkey, and I'm gonna tell you all about it. The Hot Brown is a sandwich created at the Brown Hotel in Louisville, Kentucky, created in the 1920s by the one of the hotel's first chefs, Fred Schmidt. It's now an institution, and is commonly served during the Kentucky Derby. It's an open-faced turkey sandwich covered in a Parmesan Mornay sauce and bacon. An ideal way to use Thanksgiving leftovers, really. I bet you're wishing you still had some, aren't you.

I, however, used a combination of Parm Redge, extra sharp cheddar and Gruyère (I had a lot after the mac & chee cook-off, I don't usually keep pounds of it around). I also added a nice fat pinch of paprika to the Mornay, and served it on a thick slice of toasted French batard. I've decided that I altered the recipe for a hot brown just enough to give it a newer, sexier name. I dub this sandwich the Foxy Brown.


Don't mess aroun' with Foxy Brown. It's the meanest sammich in town.

This sammich is easy to prepare. Just layer sliced, roasted turkey breast onto a nice thick slab of good bread (I love the organic French batard from New Seasons). Prepare a Mornay sauce (my recipe is here), stirring in a 1/4 tsp of hot paprika. Spoon copious amounts of the Mornay sauce over the turkey, and top with two slices of bacon. Garnish with grated Parm Redge and finely chopped parsley. A slice of tomato, were they in season, would really set this off.

Enjoy with Maker's Mark (or other fine Kentucky bourbon) and lemonade.

31 comments:

The Spiteful Chef said...

Shiiiiiit. Hot browns. Why didn't I think of that? I love hot browns because they make my heart shudder with fear, which in turn makes me feel so, I don't know...alive!

My captcha was "bleat." Sheep writing this shit now?

Brittany said...

I had never in my life heard of a 'hot brown' until now.
Sounds nommy, as does anything when served with makers and lemonade.

Jen said...

Damn! I coulda had a hot brown tonight instead of that insipid stuffing/turkey casserole thing? I didn't even EAT the casserole thing. I just froze a whole lot of leftover turkey, but I think some will be defrosted this week. And bourbon.

Good bourbon.

Yes.

BTW... just sent you a very funny D&D funny.

Peter G | Souvlaki For The Soul said...

This one's new to me! Damn it's sexy mamma! My god, I just love mornay! And that bacon...you've done it this time Heather!

glamah16 said...

I just came home from dinner full, and looking at this I want some. You have the gift!Amd I too had never heard of it before. Thanks for sharing.

Heather said...

Kristie - Baaaa. I learned about Hot Brown from Throwdown with Bobby Fucking Flay, and have stored it in my brain ever since.

Brittany - Gah, it's 12 hours later and I'm still hittin' that fine Kentucky hooch.

Jen - Casseroles (and soup) are for the dregs. Now you know! Bust out some of the leftovers for this.

Petah - I just found out the name of that sauce a month or so ago, but now it's appeared in my blog numerous times! It's so good. On everything.

Courtney - I've been waiting to try a Hot Brown for awhile, and this'll hafta do until I get to Louisville.

Alicia Foodycat said...

That is the best use for leftover turkey ever! A few slivers of caramelised onion would work as well.

Mike of Mike's Table said...

I've had hot...er, foxy...browns in the back of my mind lately since I meant to try it last year, but never did. It looks like I'm really going to have to get on that this week because that sounds so delicious. Plus, I fully support any meal that calls for a side of bourbon

Brittany said...

I have also never heardof this, but I luckily am still swimming in turkey, so this is still a possibility for me!

Mindy said...

I've lived in Kentucky for 6 years now, and have never tried a Hot Brown (not for lack of opportunity, though). If they offered this version on the menu, I wouldn't order anything else!

Syd said...

That is one bad ass sammich. Foxy Brown, indeed.

Peter M said...

Love the name, the movie genre and all the cheesy goodness that comes with this sangwich.

Manggy said...

El wrongo! I don't wish I had turkey leftovers. I wish I had THAT specific sandwich that you made. :P````` It just won't seem right if I made it with leftover chicken and whatever cheapo cheese we have sitting around here!

Valerie Harrison (bellini) said...

I have made a version of these in previous years when I have inevitable leftover turkey. Just so darn good:D

peter said...

All I can think about now is Pam Grier and Rebecca De Mornay locked in either a mortal struggle or a carnal embrace. I'm going back and forth.

Aaaaw. Yeah. "Mysta."

Anonymous said...

i do say, this is hot enough to even be named after foxy brown. i've never heard of this sammy but throw a mornay sauce over pig shit and i'd eat it!

Anonymous said...

Mmmm...the first time I saw these was in Saveur and had to have one. They are amazing, and yours are making me want one right now even though I swore I was not having another turkey anything this year. I'd say that qualifies a "Hot Damn."

vanillasugarblog said...

I have had these and they are messy, but so friggin good! Insanely good!

Sara said...

Your sandwich looks amazing! Unfortunately all of my leftover turkey was gone in a single day.

cookiecrumb said...

Just slide a little broccoli inside there, and you got a Foxy Brown Divan!

(I know. I just ruined it.)

Frustrated Farmer Rick said...

OK now I have a reason to eat turkey again already. Awesome.

Ken Albala said...

OH MAN, if I had only not thrown all the leftover turkey in a pot with chilies and greens and cooked the hell out of it. Not a mole, not a gumbo, but something in between. I'm only wishing I had set some aside now for foxy brown.

Ken

Anonymous said...

Hot damn! That looks like a mighty tasty sammich and great use of leftovers. Interestingly enough my t-day leftovers got turned into a concoction involving bread and bacon as well.

Heather said...

Foodycat - Well, that's just a given, isn't it?

Mike - Well get crackin'! You've been sitting on it for a year now!

Brittany - I still have an entire breast to slice up, so I might hit another one too.

Mindy - Try making your own! They're super easy. And so good.

Syd - I thought you'd like the Pam Grier shout-out. :)

Peter the Greek - Blaxploitation cinema is as fine as creamy Mornay.

Mark - "El Wrongo"? You're silly. I bet you could make a really nice Hot Brown-esque sammich with chicken.

Valli - It's almost worth roasting a turkey! :D

Jube - Think about them wrasslin' in a tub of hot Mornay sauce, and now you're talkin'.

Amy - Or, you could just eat it on bread and turkey, ya weirdo. :D

Kelly - I like that! "Hot Damn" has a ring to it.

Dawn - It's definitely a fork kind of sammich, but it is so good.

Sara - Dang! We can't get through it all fast enough. I've got about two or three more meals to go.

Cookiecrumb - A Divan always reminds me of a thing you rest your feet on, not a yummy dinner. Although, I do love broccoli w/cheese.

Rick - Mornay sauce gives us a reason to eat lots of things, doesn't it?

Ken - I hear you. I'm about to surrender to an amalgam of "a la king" and pot pie, myself.

Marc - From you, I'd expect nothing less. Bacon and bread'll render anything palatable (and some things delectable).

Anonymous said...

Hey Foxy,

Your last few posts have confirmed that I should have spent the weekend at chez Heath. your T-day dinner menu blew my T-day dinner-lameness theory out of the water. And then you followed up with a kick-ass breakfast and leftover sammy post. When does your Food channel show premier??

Anonymous said...

Heard of this in that Bobby Faly Throwdown show, too. Reminds me of a Welsh Rarebit.

Pam said...

So, so, good. I just don't have any words other than yum.

Anonymous said...

All we can say about this is MMMMM YUMMMMM!

Anonymous said...

Oh my, that is sexy. The only Hot Brown I've ever had was at the Whistle Stop Cafe in Glendale, KY. It was so smothered in sauce and cheese and gravy, it was just one fatty mound on the plate. Clearly, they don't get that to be sezy, you gotta show a little leg!

Norm Schoen said...

This is what comes from watching toom much Bobby Flay "Throwdown" isn't it?

Anonymous said...

Shit girl, go on wid chall bad self.

You should name it the Parm Gruyere....if you say it fast, it's kinda like Pam Greer. I know, it's a stretch.