System and method for heating combustor fuel

A system 40 for heating combustor fuel includes a turbine exhaust plenum 34 and a heat exchanger 42 downstream from the turbine exhaust plenum 34. The heat exchanger 42 has an exhaust inlet 52, an exhaust outlet 54, a fuel inlet 56, and a fuel outlet 58. An exhaust recirculation plenum 64 has a recirculation inlet connection 66 downstream from the exhaust outlet 54 and a recirculation outlet connection 68 upstream from the exhaust inlet 52. The system further includes structure for controlling a recirculated exhaust flow 70 from the exhaust outlet 54 into the exhaust recirculation plenum 64.