Makes 4 servings Lisa Towery of Oxford, Mississippi, likes to have an “action station” as a unique feature of her parties. For a Kentucky Derby-themed party she held while her husband was stationed in Carlisle Barracks, Pennsylvania, she served these Kentucky Hot Brown Sandwiches. “We assembled and served these sandwiches at a station with one wait staff prepping them using a griddle. The sauce, bacon, and mushrooms were made on our kitchen stove and taken to the assembly station. Guests loved watching their sandwiches made to order right in front of them. It was easier to do than it may sound and added a touch of class to our event,” she says. This recipe makes four open-face sandwiches, so adjust the quantities to serve your crowd.
½ cup (1 stick), plus 1 tablespoon, butter, divided
About 6 tablespoons all-purpose flour
3 cups milk
½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, divided
1 large egg, beaten
Salt and ground black pepper, to taste
2 cups sliced fresh mushrooms
8 slices bread, toasted
1 medium tomato, thinly sliced
1 pound thinly sliced cooked turkey
8 slices bacon, cooked
In a large skillet over medium heat, melt ½ cup of the butter. Stir in enough flour to absorb all of the butter. Slowly whisk in the milk. Stir in 6 tablespoons of the cheese. Add the egg and cook, stirring, until the sauce thickens, but do not let it boil. Remove from the heat and season with salt and pepper.
Heat the remaining 1 tablespoon butter in a small skillet over medium-high heat. Cook and stir the mushrooms until soft.
Preheat the broiler. For each sandwich, place two slices of toasted bread onto a broiler-proof dish or plate. Cover the toast with about ¼ cup of the cooked mushrooms and add a couple of tomato slices. Top with a generous amount (4 ounces) of turkey. Pour ¾ cup of the sauce over the sandwich. Sprinkle with a little of the remaining cheese. Repeat with the remaining ingredients to make 4 open-face sandwiches.
Place the dish under the broiler. Broil until the sauce is speckled brown and bubbly. Remove the dish from the broiler, and criss-cross two slices of bacon on top of each sandwich. Serve hot.
Makes 4 servings