as you dine along the gulf coast, you're likely to pick up a history lesson from the bread baskets you encounter.
By Deborah Garrison Lowery - photography by Preston Crosby
Cheese Biscuits with Tomato and Fresh Basil Gravy
At The Beach House Bed and Breakfast in Gulf Shores, Carol Shackleford treats guests to a true Southern country breakfast where the bread is filling enough to be the whole meal. Her old fashioned biscuits are sandwiched with cheddar cheese and topped with tomato gravy. The cornmeal waffles get an updated twist with a serving of cranberry butter on top.
Serves 4-8 -- Preparation time: 30 minutes
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 3 tablespoons shortening
- 3 tablespoons butter, chilled
- 3/4 cup buttermilk
- 1 tablespoon melted butter
- 1/4 cup mayonnaise
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 8 (1/4-inch-thick) slices sharp Cheddar cheese
- Tomato and Fresh Basil Gravy (recipe follows)
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil or bacon drippings
- 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon heavy cream
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil
- 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
- 1 (14.5-ounce) can petite diced tomatoes, undrained
Ingredients:
tomato and fresh basil gravy:
Place oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add flour, stirring constantly with a whisk until smooth. Add tomatoes and cook 2 minutes, stirring often, or until slightly thickened. Stir in remaining ingredients. Cook, stirring constantly, until mixture comes to a boil. Remove from heat. Yield: 1-3/4 cups
Directions
1 - Combine first four ingredients in a large bowl. Add shortening and chilled butter, and cut into flour mixture with a pastry blender (or pulse in a food processor) until mixture resembles small peas. Stir in buttermilk just until moistened.
2 - Turn dough out onto floured surface and knead with floured hands four or five times to form a smooth ball. Pat dough out to ¾-inch thickness. Use a 2-inch cutter to cut biscuits from dough.
3 - Place cut biscuits on an ungreased baking sheet. Brush tops with melted butter. Bake at 425° for 10 to 12 minutes or until golden. Remove biscuits from oven and reduce heat to 350°. (While biscuits bake, make gravy.)
4 - Combine mayonnaise and lemon juice. Slice baked biscuits and spread mayonnaise mixture evenly on both sides of biscuits. Place a cheese slice on bottom half of each biscuit; replace top half of biscuit.
5 - Place biscuits in a baking pan and cover with foil. Bake 10 minutes at 350° or until cheese melts.
6 - Serve with Tomato and Fresh Basil Gravy.
Cheese Biscuits with Tomato and Fresh Basil Gravy
Cornmeal Waffles with Dried Cranberry Butter
Sweet Calas with Orange Caramel Sauce
- watermelon recipes
- bread recipes
- cheese biscuits with tomato and fresh basil gravy
- cornmeal waffles with dried cranberry butter
- sweet calas with orange caramel sauce
cooking tips
by Deborah Garrison Lowery
Biscuit Tip
The key to soft, fluffy biscuits is not to stir or knead the dough more than necessary. Mix it just enough for the dough to form a soft ball and stir in as little extra flour as possible.
Fried Bread Tip
For crisp and crunchy fried bread with a soft center, be sure the oil is hot when you put in the batter, otherwise the bread will be soggy and greasy. The oil should be at least 325°.
Cornbread Tip
Have the skillet, waffle iron, or pancake griddle hot and brushed with oil before you add the batter for a crispy crust that won’t stick.
