Tom's Morningside Open-Faced Hot Turkey Sandwich
Blue Plate Specials
There is a specific magic that happens in a classic Greek-American diner around two in the afternoon when heavy china plates slide across the formica bearing the undisputed king of the menu: the hot open-faced turkey sandwich. We are sealing thick bread with fat on a hot cast-iron skillet, gently rehydrating deli-sliced turkey in simmering broth, and drowning the whole glorious mess in a dark, savory gravy that owes its soul to a few drops of Kitchen Bouquet. It is an everyday masterpiece engineered for pure, unpretentious satisfaction.
Ingredients
- unsalted butter4 tbsp
- all-purpose flour4 tbsp
- warm water2 1/2 cup
- roasted turkey or chicken base1 tbsp
- onion powder1/2 tsp
- garlic powder1/2 tsp
- black pepper1/4 tsp
- Kitchen Bouquet1 tsp
- thick-sliced white bread4 large
- mayonnaise or butter2 tbsp
- low-sodium chicken broth1 cup
- deli oven-roasted turkey breast1 lb
Method
- 01
Build the roux and simmer the quick diner gravy.
Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat, then whisk in the flour for one to two minutes until it smells nutty but remains blonde. Gradually whisk in the warm water and poultry base, bring to a simmer, then stir in the onion powder, garlic powder, black pepper, and Kitchen Bouquet until the gravy transforms into a rich, dark mahogany and thickens enough to coat a spoon.
- 02
SCRAPE the cast-iron skillet and seal the bread.
Heat your largest cast-iron skillet over medium heat for about four minutes, giving it a firm scrape with a metal spatula to create a smooth surface. Lightly coat one side of each bread slice with mayonnaise or butter, then press fat-side down onto the hot iron for two to three minutes until an edge-to-edge golden-brown crust forms, creating the lipid barrier that will survive the gravy.
- 03
Rehydrate the turkey in a simmering broth bath.
Wipe out the skillet, drop the heat to medium-low, and pour in the chicken broth. Once it hits a gentle simmer, lay the cold deli turkey in the liquid for sixty to ninety seconds, just long enough to bring it to temperature and inject it with vital moisture before lifting it out with tongs.
- 04
Construct the open-faced sandwich and drown it in gravy.
Pile the warm, broth-bathed turkey generously onto the toasted side of the bread slices, adding a scoop of mashed potatoes alongside or directly on top if you want to play it Midwest style. Take a ladle and unapologetically smother the entire plate in the hot diner gravy until it cascades over the edges.
From Cook Diner Food at Home.