Week 10/; Movie Inspired - Hot Brown (Elizabethtown)

I admit that I have not been "in the game" these last couple of weeks, but i haven't found the challenges very exciting. This week is movie/book-inspired. I am currently reading Tinker Tailor Solider Spy which is not exactly a tale rich in food. In fact it is written in a weird conversational voice, but that is beside the point. I tried reading a bit of Alice in Wonderland and found nothing specific other than currants to spell out "Eat Me." I didn't want to do something from the Game of Thrones series, because I spent so much damn time last year reading them. I came about the recipe that I selected by browsing my movie case. I like the movie Elizabethtown for many reasons, but we will say that it is Kristen Dunst's fault. So here I present to you, Hot Browns, inspired by the famous dish created by the chefs of the Brown Hotel in Louisville, KY, the hotel which the characters in the movie stayed.

My wife lived in Louisvile  for a year while we were dating, and I would drive two hours every weekend to see her (or her me). She likes to "spread out the awesome", as she says, so she never took me to the Brown for a Hot Brown, and I will always hold that against her. She does this in Cincinnati, where we now live as well. I think it is just her excuse for being lazy for not showing me the cool stuff.

Last night I made us a mid-year Thanksgiving dinner with turkey, stuffing, and brussel sprouts. It was awesome and necessary, since we needed some leftover turkey.

First, some bacon.

You must have a good base.

Slice last night's turkey

We start with the Mother sauce (Bechamel) with a roux.

Add some cream and whisk ( I cheated with skim milk).

To the mother, we add some cheese.

These sandwiches are really quite easy, layer the turkey and bacon on a good slice of bread. Put on the Mornay sauce and broil.

Broil until it is brown and delicious.

Oh mu Gawd! Yum.

I served this with some sauteed spinach and smashed celeriac and potatoes. (If you want the celeriac recipe, let me know. I would have to type it out from Jaime Oliver's cookbook.) This dinner was so damn good, that I am angry that my wife never took me to the Brown for one while she was living in Louisville.  The next time we are down there, we will have to forgo our bologna sandwiches at Cumberland Brew and stop at the Brown for lunch.

As always, the recipe is available from the source.