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A few weeks ago a friend reminded me that good old sausage gravy on warm, fresh biscuits is a delicious comfort food straight from heaven. Flakey biscuits just seem to be made for a flavorful cream gravy and the flavors brought by a good quality ground pork sausage is a perfect fit with this dish.While it is true that I have taken a slight liberty with his gravy recipe, I will just have to accept the criticism… a roux and bourbon were just made for each other and who doesn’t like minced mushrooms for breakfast?
Now add the Roasted Bosc Pears topped with a sublime almond cream and sprinkle a few toasted almond slivers and all is well with the world.
What? There is more? A orange spritzer with a kick? Be still my heart!
- Chez
Double Orange Spritzer
Ingredients
- 4 1/2 ounces Cointreau
- 9 ounces strained fresh orange juice
- 3 tablespoon strained fresh lemon juice
- Chilled seltzer or club soda
- orange slice for garnish
Preparation:
In a tall glass, combine the Cointreau, the orange and lemon juices, and four ice cubes. Fill the glass with the seltzer and stir the drink. Garnish it with the orange slice.
Mike’s Biscuits and Sausage
For the biscuits:
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 4 teaspoons baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- Pinch of salt
- 3 oz. (6 tbsp) cold butter, diced
- 8 oz buttermilk
[It is vital that you knead gently and no more than is necessary or you will develop the gluten in the flour and make the biscuits tough. Good biscuits are as much a function of technique as ingredients.]
Form a flat mass with the dough and cut out biscuits with a biscuit cutter. Do not make them too high or the outside could become over browned by the time the inside is cooked.
Place them on parchment paper on a sheet tray and then into a preheated 400-degree oven.
If you start the gravy immediately. It should be done close to the same time as the biscuits, which is when they are golden in color.
For the gravy:
- ½-pound ground breakfast sausage
- 1 cup minced button mushrooms
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 4 tablespoons all purpose flour
- 3 cups cold milk
- 1 tbsp bourbon whiskey
- Salt and pepper to taste
You will need it to make the roux. (I said this was delicious, not health food.)
You should have about 2 tablespoons of rendered pork fat. Add the butter and melt it. Then add the flour a little at a time over medium heat, constantly whisking. Cook for about 4-6 minutes. [You are going for a ‘tan to medium brown', about the shade of ice tea. If you go any darker, you will not get the thickening you are looking for.]
Now, start adding the cold milk a little at a time, whisking incessantly. Once you have added all of the milk, whisk for an additional minute and then add the sausage mixture back in. Continue to whisk as the mixture thickens. When you reach the desired consistency, add the bourbon and salt and pepper to taste.
Odds are, your biscuits are golden brown and ready to serve right about now!
Roasted Bosc Pears w/Almond Cream
Ingredients:
For Pears:
- 2 tablespoon butter
- 2 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 Bosc pear, halved
- 2 tablespoon water
- 2 tbsp vanilla sugar
- 1 cup blanched almonds, toasted (reserve 2 tbs for garnish)
For Almond Cream:
- 1/2 cup powdered sugar
- 6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
- 2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon all purpose flour
- 1 large egg
- 1 large egg yolk
- 1 tablespoon Amaretto
Preheat oven to 375°F. Melt butter with oil in small ovenproof skillet over medium heat. Add pear halves, turning to coat. Arrange pears, cut side down, in skillet; sprinkle with water. Roast 15 minutes and then sprinkle with sugar. Continue to roast until tender, about 5 minutes more. Core roasted pears and set aside to cool.
Preparation-Cream -
Using on/off turns, finely chop nuts with sugar in processor. Add remaining ingredients; process until blended. Once pears are cool, fill core cavity with cream, garnish with reserved almonds and serve.
