Thanksgiving Hot Brown Style Casserole

Leftover ideas

Stuffing on the bottom, turkey, tomatoes, mornay sauce, pimentos, bacon

My take on the Hot Brown using leftovers & casserole; this version featured multi-colored cherry tomatoes

 A new take on the legendary sandwich from The Brown Hotel   in Louisville, KY. Theirs is an individual, open-faced turkey sandwich with a generous tomato slice and criss cross of bacon. (Original recipe here) Mine is a family-style casserole that plays off the same rich, creamy flavors. 

 

The Original, individual Hot Brown Sandwich (photo credit: What's Cooking America dot net)

 I first heard of the Hot Brown Sandwich by way of the lip-smacking PBS documentary “Sandwiches That You Will Like,” which features a smorgasbord of signature sandwiches & eateries all over the USA. Blogger Karen Tortora Lee has a great summary of the film on her blog “The HappiestMedium.” She calls it the best PBS show ever. I don’t’ know about that, as I’m a huge fan of BBC America shows like Broadchurch, Hinterland, Paranoid, and the astoundingly good Sherlock. And I think Ken Burns has produced some amazing history documentaries. Nonetheless, “Sandwiches That You Will Like” is a delight and will absolutely work up your appetite! 

vintage Thanksgiving postcard; public domain

 Cathi’s Thanksgiving Hot Brown Casserole

Adapted from recipe at Cuisine at Homemagazine (Kentucky individual casseroles) Nov 2013 

Ingredients:

Leftover, baked stuffing* enough to cover the bottom of a 9x13 casserole dish

Cooked, diced turkey meat (white, dark or mixed)

2 chopped tomatoes, handful of halved cherry/grape tomatoes (or 1 14oz can diced tomatoes, drained)

~2 cups Mornay sauce (see recipe below)

red pimentos (optional)

6 slices cooked bacon, crumbled to garnish

 

MORNAY SAUCE

1 stick butter

1/3 cup wholewheat pastry flour

1½ cups milk

1 cup turkey stock (liquid) or 1 cup turkey drippings (solid, like gelatin)

2 Tbsp sherry or brandy

¾ cup shredded white cheddar

½ cup fresh grated parmesan

2 tsp red hot sauce

Pimentos, drained (2-4 oz jar) can fold into sauce or sprinkle over the top before baking

Pinch or two of kosher salt

In a deep sided skillet, melt the butter over medium heat. Measure out flour and use heat-resistant whisk; toast flour to make your roux - ~2 minutes. Should be slightly browned.

Keep whisking and add in broth, then milk, then liquor. Simmer about 3 minutes, until thick. Take off the heat.

Keep whisking and add in cheddar, then parmesan. Sauce should be smooth and even consistency.

Add in hot sauce and lastly, pimentos. Taste, careful not to burn mouth, and season as needed w/kosher salt.

 *If the stuffing hasn't already baked, put it in bottom of the casserole dish and bake for ~20 mins at 350 oven, uncovered. The stuffing needs to be a bit dried out and already baked to work best here. When I'm first preparing my stuffing, I used pre-packaged bread crumbs (14 oz) and add 1/4 tsp each of dried sage + 1/8 tsp dried thyme. Then I stir in a 1/4 red or white onion, finely chopped; 1-2 stalks celery, small dice; handful of baby carrots, small dice; and 1/2 cup dried cranberries mixed in. I like the textures and extra flavors with add-ins.

PUTTING TOGETHER CASSEROLE

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Spread out leftover stuffing on the bottom of a large (2 qt) glass casserole dish. Next layer the diced turkey and then the chopped tomatoes. Then pour the mornay sauce over all.

Bake for about 30 minutes, until sauce is bubbling around edges and slightly browned at edges.

Cook bacon on stovetop or in microwave to use for garnish. When casserole is done, and cooling, sprinkle crumbled bacon all over the top.

 

ALLERGENS: contains dairy & wheat (sauce & stuffing)

ALLERGY ACCOMMODATIONS: To avoid wheat, you can use gluten-free stuffing or try mashed potatoes as bottom layer substitute and use a gluten-free thickener for sauce. I’ve never tried making a mornay sauce without dairy; however, there are rich & creamy sauce recipes shared by vegan cooks. Be aware that many vegan recipes do include soy, peanut, and/or treenut ingredients. You may need to get more creative or experimental depending on which allergens you need to avoid. Some vegan recipes use soy-based milk or cheeses, some use coconut milk, some use nut-based mixtures, some suggest nutritive yeast flakes as a stand in for parmesan cheese. For ideas and recipes check out the One Green Planet website for vegan cooking: http://www.onegreenplanet.org/vegan-food/how-to-make-creamy-rich-sauces-without-dairy/