New York has its Reuben, and Louisville has its Hot Brown. Unless you hail from Kentucky, you may not be familliar with this supremely delicious sandwich that combines sliced turkey, cheese, bacon, and a variety of other ingredients. It originated in the Brown Hotel in Louisville, Ky.

Below is the original Brown Hotel recipe, kindly supplied by the Louisville Courier-Journal’s recipe files; former Governor and First Lady Paul and Judi Patton’s version, which includes ham and hot sauce; and a version I devised using not turkey, but leftover meatloaf.

Louisville Hot Brown from the Brown Hotel

4 tablespoons butter
1 small onion, chopped
3 tablespoons flour
2 cups milk
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon white pepper
1/4 cup shredded Cheddar
1/4 cup grated Parmesan
8 slices toast, with the crusts cut off
Sliced cooked chicken or turkey breast
Crisp-fried bacon, crumbled
Mushroom slices, sauteed

Saute onion in butter until transparent; add flour and combine. Add milk, salt and pepper and whisk until smooth. Cook on medium heat until sauce thickens, stirring occasionally. Add cheese and continue heating until they blend. Remove from heat.

Put one slice of toast in each of four oven-proof individual serving dishes. Top each piece of toast with slices of chicken or turkey. Cut remaining toast slices diagonally and place on sides of sandwiches. Ladle cheese sauce over sandwiches. Place sandwiches under broiler until sauce begins to bubble. Garnish with crumbled bacon and sauteed mushroom slices and serve immediately. Serves 4.

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Kentucky Governor’s Hot Brown
(Actually, from the former First Lady of Kentucky, Mrs. Judi Patton.)

1 stick butter
3 Tablespoons flour (regular)
2 cups milk
1 cup Colby cheese (grated)
1/2 box Parmesan cheese (grated)
Chicken or turkey
Country ham or baked ham
Bacon, fried to a crisp
Tomato slices
Paprika
Tabasco hot pepper sauce (5 dashes or more to taste)
2 egg yolks

In a 4-quart, heavy sauce pan, melt butter. Mix in flour until mixture is smooth. Add milk in small amounts at a time; cook until sauce is thick. Add Tabasco sauce and Parmesan cheese. Remove from heat.  Take out 1/2 cup sauce and add the two beaten egg yolks. Mix well and return to the remainder, stirring constantly. Add Colby and American cheeses. Remove from heat. Toast six slices of bread on both sides. Slice each piece in half and place on a heat-resistant plate. Layer with chicken or turkey, ham of your choice, sauce, tomato, and 2 slices of bacon. Top with paprika. Bake at 400 degrees for 10 to 15 minutes.

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This is my quick and easy version that once upon a time, I thought was a Hot Brown until myr culinary records were set straight. Still, it makes a satisfying sandwich for a cold winter night and uses up leftover items nicely.

Above the Fruited Plain’s “Pseudo” Hot Brown With Meatloaf

Leftover meatloaf, thickly sliced
4 slices of thick, hearty bread
2 slices individual Velveeta cheese slices (not Velveeta in the brick)
1/2 cup good brown gravy

Heat the meatloaf slices either in the oven or microwave until hot. Place meatloaf slices between bread slices, top with Velveeta cheese and broil in oven until bread is slightly toasted and cheese is melted.  Serve the brown gravy as a side dip, or pour over sandwiches immediately before serving. Serves 2.