The Kentucky Not Brown (FJ Style – cooked on the grill)

Winston’s Restaurant in Louisville is a favorite stop when haunting the environs around that annual event called the Kentucky Derby. This recipe is a variation on the one served from under a broiler. I designed it to cook from the bottom up using a black bottomed skillet directly on the grill. Similar to the original recipe for the Hot Brown, note the seafood switch from turkey.

 
2 servings
 
INGREDIENTS:
2 cups whole milk
3 Tablespoons unsalted butter
3 Tablespoons all purpose flour
1/2 cup coarsely grated Gruyere cheese
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
1/8 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
4 large shrimp with the tail on
2 thick cut fried green tomatoes
2 Tablespoons cooked and shredded crab
2 Tablespoons steamed spinach
4 slices of cooked bacon
2 large slices of Texas Toast or thick French bread. Toasted lightly.
 
DIRECTIONS:
For (2) servings of Not Browns on the Grill start by prepping a mornay sauce. In a 2-quart saucepan, Melt butter over low heat. Add flour. Cook over low heat whisking constantly for no longer than 3 minutes. Add milk continually while whisking. Bring to a boil stirring constantly. Reduce to low heat. Allow the mornay to gently simmer. Whisk occasionally for about 10 minutes.
 
Remove from heat. Fold in the Gruyere until it is melted. Stir in salt and pepper. Lastly add nutmeg.
 
For each Not Brown, place a slice of bread in a black bottomed skillet. Cover with shredded crab. Top this with spinach. Cross with two slices of cooked bacon. Add the slab of fried green tomato. Pour mornay sauce over each Not Brown. Crown with cooked shrimp. You can leave the shrimp off and add after bringing the sandwich up to a suitable heat for serving.
 
Set on top of a hot grill. Cover, and cook until sauce bubbles and the entire stack is hot. Watch the shrimp so it doesn’t over cook, or leave it off and add just before serving.
 
Attributed to: John Castro’s version at Winston’s Restaurant in Louisville Kentucky.

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