Enchiladas de Chile Ajo + Back to the Market

For the past seven weeks I've been tending to a very small person.  There has been no cooking, certainly no baking, very little fresh air and, quite often, no showering.  She eats, sleeps and cries and my life is dictated by her every whim. Becoming a mother is without a doubt the most rewarding job I've ever undertaken, but also the hardest.  So yesterday I decided to take a little break and make a homemade meal, intricate enough to get my mind off of dirty diapers for a few hours.  I asked Dave what he wanted and he pointed to the cover of the latest issue of Saveur, "I want that."  Enchiladas de Chile Ajo, is the dish (link to the recipe here).  So off to the market I went, magazine in hand, to tackle this authentic Mexican dish.  This recipe has a lot of steps, but they are all well worth the outcome.  You have to soak dried guajillo chiles, then make them into a paste that will become the base of the most flavorful, sweet and spicy enchilada sauce you've ever tasted.  You char vegetables and peppers for said sauce, followed by a messy transfer to the blender to puree.  Then there is another puree.  There is fresh lime juice for acid, a crumbled piece of toasted white bread to thicken and a bit of sweet brown sugar.  Finally, you have to fry corn tortillas in oil, one-by-one, before soaking them in that vibrantly red sauce and filling them with shredded chicken, Cotija cheese and diced raw onion.  Delicious, comforting, filling and just the meal to get me ready to pull another all-nighter with my sweet little girl. 

PS:  Bogart Loves will be back at Kingfield farmer's market next Sunday, August 12th.  We are so excited to get back to the market and can't wait to see everyone.

PPS:  Esther Jane Merryfield was born on June 14, weighing in at 6 lbs 14 oz.  She will be making quite a few appearances at the market so please stop by to meet her.

The photo that started it all.

Charred tomatoes, garlic, onion and serrano chiles.

Perfect with a strong margarita. 

Essie asleep.  A rare and lovely thing these days.

Current Food Loves + Brown Butter Oatmeal Cookies

As I near the end of my pregnancy, my eating habits have definitely become a bit strange.  Instead of my usual three squares a day, I'm now more in the range of five to seven small meals per day.  I always have a few breakfasts each morning, there are lots and lots of snacks and there are usually a few other smallish meals thrown in.  It's been fun to eat this way, yet I can't help but feel overwhelmed by the variety of foods I'm ingesting. So, instead of my usual one-recipe post, I thought I would share a bit of what I've been grubbing on.  Small bite here. A spoonful of something there.  A large handful of nut mix about every 15 minutes.  You know, the norm.  Thought I'd finish it up with a cravable brown butter + oatmeal + whole wheat flour + walnut cookie recipe I've been trying to perfect and have enjoyed testing with huge glasses of ice-cold skim milk.  Milk, yet another strange pregnancy thing for me.  I can't seem to get enough of it.   So, without further ado, I humbly present a good chunk of my diet this week.  The good, the bad and the ugly.

{Left-to-right, top to bottom}
Leftover grilled flank steak made into tacos with pickled red onions, guac and feta
Haas avocado with sea salt and black pepper (only CA grown avocados will do it for me, they're fruitier)
Ciao Bella brand blood orange sorbet (every night before bed)
Trader Joe's brand Fruity-O's cereal (embarrassing but irresistible)
Juniper berry and black pepper coated goat cheese from Love Tree Farm (smeared on everything)

Any nut mix I can get my hands on (Bonus if it includes dark chocolate.  Must include almonds)
Gummy stars from Whole Foods (Goji berry?  Yes please!)
Fried egg sandwich with white cheddar on a Thomas brand muffin (recipe here)
Brown butter oatmeal cookies with milk.  (Recipe below)

Brown Butter Oatmeal Cookies
makes about a dozen

3/4 cup whole wheat flour

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

1 1/2 cup rolled oats

3/4 cup chopped walnuts

1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter

2/3 cup dark brown sugar

1 egg, at room temperature

1 tsp pure vanilla extract

In a large bowl, whisk together the whole wheat flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt and oats.  Set aside.

To brown the butter:  add butter to a sauce pot set over medium flame.  Stir butter until the butter solids start to turn golden brown and smell nutty.  Transfer hot butter to a heatproof bowl and allow it to cool in the refrigerator for about 10-15 minutes.  The butter will still be liquid, just a bit thicker.  

Pour the slightly chilled browned butter into the bowl of a stand mixer (or into a large bowl and use an electric hand mixer).  Add the brown sugar and beat until creamy and combined, about 2-3 minutes.  Add the egg and vanilla and mix until combined.  Add the dry ingredients and mix on low until combined.  

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and using an ice cream scoop, portion out the dough into 11 to 12 equal mounds.  (There is no need to space the cookies out on the sheet pan at this point).  Refrigerate dough until firm, about 20 minutes or up to a few days.

When you are ready to bake, preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Line another sheet pan with parchment and divide the dough between the two pans.  Bake, one pan at a time, for 10-12 minutes or until they just turn golden around the edges.  (Keep the second pan of dough in the refrigerator while the first pan is baking).  Allow to cool completely on a wire rack.

Whole Wheat Pasta with Peas and Mint

To me, springtime means pasta.  I'm not talking your typically heavy spaghetti and meatballs.  When spring rolls around, I'm craving pasta packed with green vegetables, herbs and dressed in not much more than some starchy water and parmesan cheese.  This pasta is just that.  Whole wheat spaghetti gives a nice, earthy bite. Bright green peas, gently cooked to retain their vibrant hue.  Pour in some pasta water, a few pats of butter and a bit of cheese to create a lightly silky sauce that delicately coats the hot noodles.  A generous sprinkling of fresh mint adds lovely herby flavor. Easy, fast and perfect for a warm spring evening.

Whole Wheat Pasta with Peas and Mint
adapted from this recipe
Serves 2

1/2 box (8oz) whole wheat spaghetti
olive oil
1 heaping cup frozen peas
1 garlic clove, minced
1 shallot, minced
1/4 tsp freshly grated black pepper
2 Tbsp butter
1 cup parmigiano reggiano cheese, grated
3-4 sprigs of mint leaves, thinly julienned
kosher salt

Bring pasta water to a boil.  Cook pasta for 7 minutes (or 2 minutes under the recommended cooking time on the box).  You want the pasta to retain a slight bite. Drain pasta, reserving one cup of the starchy cooking liquid.

Meanwhile, heat a generous glug of olive oil in a large saute pan set over medium-high heat.  Add the garlic, shallot and black pepper and cook until fragrant, about one minute.  Add the frozen peas and cook for another minute or until peas are just heated through.  Add one cup of the reserved pasta water and bring to a boil.  Add the pasta and cook until it has absorbed some of the water and the sauce has thickened, about 1-2 minutes.  Add in the butter and parmesan and toss until the butter is melted, the cheese is evenly distributed and the pasta is cooked to al dente.  Remove pan from the heat and stir in the mint.  Season with salt (note the parmesan is quite salty so you likely won't need much).  Serve hot.

Peas + Fresh Mint = True Love.

Toss it all up.

Dig in.

Farmer's Market Love

Spring is officially here and farmer's market season about to be in full swing.  I couldn't be more excited.  Bogart Loves will be at Kingfield Farmer's Market this Sunday where we'll stay for the remainder of the summer (I will miss you my lovely Fulton patrons, please be sure to come to Kingfield to say hello). With the impending arrival of our first baby, we will be taking a brief break during most of June and all of July.  But come August, we'll have a new (and tiny) member of the Bogart Loves team accompanying us to the market from time to time!

This year will offer a number of new and exciting adventures, not only for us as a family but also for Bogart Loves.  More doughnuts, more flavors and more general deliciousness.  Stay tuned!  We can't wait to see all of you at the market.  

Bogart Loves 2012 Kingfield Farmer's Market Dates:
May:  20th, 27th
June:  3rd
July:  -- none --
August:  12th, 19th, 26th
September:  2nd, 9th, 16th, 23rd, 30th
October:  7th, 14th, 21st, 28th

*photographs by Natalie Champa Jennings 

See you at the market! 

Salted Caramel Corn

Confession:  I bring my own snacks into the movie theater.  It feels a bit sneaky, but it is really something I take pride in.  No overpriced candy or bags of stale popcorn with fake butter-y liquid for this girl.  On such occasions, caramel corn is my contraband of choice.  I find it the perfect movie treat because it is both sweet and salty at once.  Two birds with one stone, so to speak.  Unless I'm at the movies with my brother in Los Angeles snacking on this amazingly delicious stuff, I'm forced to find my own caramel corn, which, until now, I've always purchased from the store.  Although most brands are admittedly delicious, most are overly sweet with not enough salt.  I decided to try my own version and added a generous amount of flaked sea salt.  Buttery, caramely and crunchy.  With the perfect salty bite.  This is the snack to smuggle in to the action flick or romantic comedy of your choosing.

Salted Caramel Corn

adapted from this recipe

3 Tbsp canola or vegetable oil
1/2 cup popcorn kernels
3 cups sugar
3 Tbsp butter
2 tsp kosher salt
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
1-2 Tbsp flaked sea salt

Spray a large mixing bowl, rubber spatula and rimmed baking sheet with non-stick spray.  Set all aside.

In a large, covered pot or dutch oven, heat the oil over medium-high heat.  Once hot, add the popcorn kernels and cover.  Shake the pot constantly until the popcorn has finished popping (about 4-5 minutes after the first kernel pops).  Be careful not to burn the popcorn, shaking the pot helps to prevent this.  Pour the popcorn into the sprayed mixing bowl and set aside.

In a large sauce pot, bring the sugar, butter, kosher salt and a 1/2 cup of water to a bowl over high heat.  Allow it to come to a bubble and cook, without stirring, until light golden in color (about 10 minutes once the sugar starts boiling). Remove caramel from the heat and immediately whisk in the baking soda.  Be careful as the mixture will bubble and become thick.

Pour hot caramel over the popcorn and stir with the sprayed spatula until the popcorn is evenly coated.  Quickly transfer caramel corn to the sprayed sheet pan and spread out as much as possible, using the spatula.  Be careful as the caramel is very hot.  Immediately sprinkle with the flaked sea salt, using as little or as much as you prefer.  Allow caramel corn to cool completely, break apart and enjoy.  Keep in an airtight container for up to a week.

Golden kernels.

Freshly popped corn.

Make yours as salty as you wish.

Packed up and ready for my weekend matinee.

Easy Weekend Waffles

When given the choice between pancakes and waffles, I choose pancakes. Unfortunately, I have always thought of waffles as a tragically dense breakfast, inevitably smothered in syrupy fruit and whipped cream.  For my time and effort, nothing can beat a steaming stack of light and fluffy buttermilk pancakes adorned simply with softened butter and pure maple syrup.  As it turns out, my husband prefers waffles.  Of course.  So, out of love for Dave, I've spent the past few years trying to find a great waffle recipe that we both can enjoy.  To me, a great waffle recipe is one that is fast, easy and involves neither dense waffles nor syrupy fruit.  A great waffle recipe to him simply means a recipe that produces crispy and flavorful waffles.  Finding this mutually agreeable recipe wasn't as easy as I expected.  Many recipes that produce delicious waffles start from a yeasted batter, requiring a sit overnight.  Not so great when an unanticipated early morning waffle urge hits hard.  Many other fine recipes require the whipping of the egg whites, which ensures delightfully light waffles.  This task is certainly quicker than the yeast method, but I really don't want to be messing with whipping egg whites so early in the morning. After a lot of searching, I believe I have finally found the ideal waffle recipe.  Light, delicious, last-minute waffles.  No planning or egg white whipping necessary.  The addition of oil ensures a crisp outer shell. Buttermilk gives a deliciously mellow tang and a perfectly airy bite.  The batter does have to sit on the counter for 30 minutes before cooking, but this is no problem as that gives one just enough time to catch a few more winks in bed, read a chunk of the paper or walk the dog before preheating the waffle iron.   Crispy, flavorful, fluffy and easy.  A recipe that may even make a waffle lover out of me.

Easy Weekend Waffles
makes about 6 waffles
adapted from this recipe

3/4 cup flour
1/4 cup cornstarch
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1/2 cup buttermilk
1/2 cup whole milk
1/3 cup canola oil
1 egg
2 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
softened butter and maple syrup for serving

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, cornstarch, baking powder, baking soda and salt.  In a small bowl (or in a large liquid measuring cup) whisk together the buttermilk, milk, oil, egg, sugar and vanilla.  Pour the liquid mixture into the dry mixture and whisk until the batter is shiny and most of the lumps are gone.  Allow the batter to sit at room temperature for 30 minutes.

Preheat your waffle iron.  Use approximately 1/2 cup of batter per waffle (more or less depending on the size of your waffle iron) and cook until golden brown and crisp.  Serve immediately with butter and warmed maple syrup.

Note:  These waffles are best enjoyed straight out of the iron when they are at their crispiest.  I also found refrigerated leftover waffles to reheat surprisingly well in a conventional toaster the next morning.

A stack of light, crispy waffles.

All you need is maple syrup and butter.

These are certainly waffles anyone would love.

French Yogurt Jar Cake

I hope to be a good mother.  At the risk of sounding trite, a big part of me thinks that in order to succeed at parenting, there must be cake.  For a long time I've envisioned what my life would be like once I had a family of my own. One of these recurring daydreams involves a slew of kids coming home from school, sitting down at the table and enjoying big fat slices of homemade cake.  As I sit down with them, we discuss the days events as they gulp glasses of cold milk and shovel hunks of buttery cake into their mouths.  For better or worse, facilitating this dreamed-up after school ritual is likely going to be an integral part of me being a mom. Serving my kid cake.  After school.  May seem silly, but that's how I think.  This lovely, lemony cake is one I would proudly serve to any kid.  It is adapted from a classic French afternoon snack cake recipe called yogurt jar cake because it is made with yogurt and most of the ingredients can be easily measured from little glass yogurt containers, common in France.  Don't worry about measuring from jars, just throw the ingredients together into a big bowl, mix, pour into a pan and bake. Simple and perfect as an afternoon treat for kids and adults alike.  Of course I do realize that my future family probably won't always relish the idea of sitting down to share a snack and a chat like I do.  Nevertheless, I'm sure I'll still have a cake waiting when they get home, just in case.

French Yogurt Jar Cake
Makes one 9 inch cake
adapted from this recipe

1/2 cup plain yogurt, full fat is best
1 cup sugar
3 eggs, at room temperature
1/4 tsp pure vanilla extract
grated zest of one lemon
1 1/2 cups flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 cup canola oil
sweetened créme fraiche or whipped cream for serving (optional)

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.  Generously grease a 9 inch round cake pan and line with parchment.  

In a large bowl, whisk together the yogurt, sugar, eggs, vanilla and zest.  Add the flour and baking powder and whisk until combined.  Add the oil and, using a rubber spatula, stir until smooth.  Transfer batter to your prepared pan and smooth the top with the spatula.

Bake for 35 to 40 minutes or until a cake tester inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.  Allow to cool on a baking rack for 5-10 minutes then carefully remove the cake from the pan and allow it to cool to room temperature on the rack, right side up.  Serve with slightly sweetened créme fraiche or whipped cream if desired.  Keep cake wrapped in plastic wrap at room temperature for up to 3 days and, personally, I think the cake is better the second day.

Mix until the batter becomes smooth and shiny.

Allow the cake to cool completely for the best taste and texture.

A generous wedge makes the perfect snack.

A bit of sweetened créme fraiche adds a nice tang.  

Lavender Sugar Cookies

I love the flavor of lavender and spring is my favorite time to use it.  Whether in ice cream, doughnuts, cakes or cookies, the floral notes of this herb always take me to a sunny place.  These coin-sized cookies start with a sugar cookie dough, made even more delicious by the addition of dried lavender.  Simply mix the dough, form into logs, roll in sparkly sugar, slice and bake.  Bonus points given for being able to stash this dough in the refrigerator or freezer.  Small, buttery, lavender-flecked cookies, glittering with sugar.  Perfect for spring.

Lavender Sugar Cookies
makes approximately 4 1/2 dozen
adapted from this recipe

2 sticks unsalted butter, at room temperature
3/4 cup sugar
1 egg, at room temperature
1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
1 1/2 to 2 tsp dried culinary lavender, gently chopped
2 1/2 cups flour
1 tsp kosher salt
1/2 cup sanding or sparkling sugar for rolling

In the bowl of a stand mixer, using a paddle attachment (or in a large bowl, using a hand mixer), beat the butter and sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy, approximately 3-5 minutes.  Add the egg and vanilla and mix until just combined. Add the lavender, flour and salt and mix on low until the dough comes together. Transfer dough to a clean surface and roll into 2 logs, approximately 1 1/4 inches in diameter.  Wrap logs tightly in parchment paper and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes or up to a few days.  The dough logs may also be frozen for up to a month, and thawed in the refrigerator overnight before baking.

When you are ready to bake, preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Line two baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.  Remove the dough from the refrigerator and allow it to sit at room temperature for 15 minutes.  Roll the logs in sanding sugar and slice into 1/2 inch coins.  Arrange cookies on the baking sheets, spacing about 1 inch apart, and bake for 15-20 minutes or until the cookies just start to turn golden.  Store at room temperature in an airtight container.

Floral lavender.  Gently chop to release more flavor.

Roll in sugar and slice into coins.

Bake until just golden.

The perfect bite with a cup of tea.  Especially this tea - my current favorite.

Roasted Tomato Soup

Over the weekend, the sun was shining and the temperature hit 80 degrees.  Despite the beautiful weather, I decided to make hot soup.  Dave was arriving home on a late flight in from a long weekend trip so I thought a pot of soup on the stove would make a nice late dinner.  I also happened to have a pound of cherry tomatoes on the counter.  A long roast of the tomatoes with some garlic and onion.  Pureed with stock and a roasted red pepper for additional sweetness.  A bit of smoky paprika for warmth and a splash of cream for richness. Simple, simple soup.  Oddly perfect on a warm spring night.

Roasted Tomato Soup
serves 2

1 lb cherry tomatoes
1 yellow onion, sliced into wedges
4-5 small garlic cloves, peeled
olive oil
kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper
2-3 large chunks of jarred roasted red pepper (or 1 fresh red pepper, roasted)
1-2 cups chicken or vegetable stock (or broth)
1/4 tsp smoked paprika
splash of cream

Preheat your oven to 375 degrees.  Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or brush with a bit of olive oil.  Dump the tomatoes and onion wedges onto the pan.  Drizzle heavily with olive oil and sprinkle with kosher salt and black pepper. Toss with your hands until the tomatoes and onions are evenly coated with oil. Place the garlic cloves on a small square of tin foil, drizzle with a bit of olive oil, seal up like a package and place on the sheet pan with the tomatoes and onion. Roast for 45 minutes or until the tomatoes and onions are softened and brown and the garlic is caramelized and fragrant.

Transfer the tomatoes, onion and garlic to a medium sized soup pot and add the roasted pepper and one and a half cups of the stock.  Heat over medium-low heat until warmed through. Using an immersion blender (or by transferring soup to a traditional blender in small batches) puree the soup until it is to your desired thickness, adding more stock if necessary.  Add the paprika and more salt and pepper to taste.  Allow the soup to simmer over medium-low heat for 15-20 minutes.  Before serving, add a splash of cream and stir until blended into the soup.

Tomatoes, garlic and onion.

Tossed in olive oil, salt and pepper before their roasting.

Sweet, spicy and delicious.    

Elderflower Lemonade

It feels like spring today.  The sun is out, the weather is unseasonably warm and the birds are chirping.  Normally, such a grand day would call for a strong and icy cocktail, but since I'm not partaking in alcohol for the next 3 months (sigh), lemonade it is.  Not just any lemonade, but lemonade spiked with elderflower syrup. Elderflower liquor is one of my favorite summertime cocktail mix-ins so I thought it only appropriate to use a non-alcoholic elderflower syrup in this drink.  I buy mine (in bulk) at Ikea, but there are quite a few other brands available for purchase online.  The syrup lends a floral note to this lemonade and its sweetness takes the place of sugar.  Tart, freshly squeezed lemon juice, some sparkling water and lots of ice.  Springtime in a glass.

Elderflower Lemonade
makes 2 glasses

1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/4 cup elderflower syrup (or to your taste)
1 cup water
1/2 cup sparkling water
lemon wedges for serving
ice

Combine all ingredients, except lemon wedges and ice, in a cocktail shaker or pitcher and shake or stir until combined.  Divide between two ice-filled glasses, garnish with lemon wedges and enjoy.

Note:  This lemonade would also be quite delicious mixed with a few ounces of vodka or gin.

All the fixings for a springtime drink.

Bubbles and elderflower syrup.

Floral, tart, sweet and refreshing.

Southern Style Fried Chicken Biscuit Sandwich

Though many prefer to sleep in on the weekends, every once in awhile I like to wake up early to prepare a special breakfast.  In this case, I woke up early on a Sunday morning to bake buttermilk biscuits and to fry some chicken for one of the most delicious breakfast sandwiches I've ever eaten.  This may seem like an arduous task for a lazy weekend morning, but these sandwiches are completely worth the work.  On a recent trip to Portland, Oregon, we visited the incomparable Pine State Biscuits and this sandwich is an adaptation of one we devoured there.  Huge, freshly baked buttermilk biscuits topped with juicy, fried chicken breast and smothered in honey, mustard and dill pickles.  This sandwich is really an amazing thing.  Completely worth the early alarm clock on a Sunday morning.

Southern Style Fried Chicken Biscuit Sandwich
Makes 2

1 boneless, skinless chicken breast
2 cups buttermilk
freshly cracked black pepper
2 eggs
3-4 dashes of Tabasco hot sauce (or whatever you have)
1 cup flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
peanut oil for frying
2 freshly baked buttermilk biscuits (see recipe below)
2 tsp butter
dill pickle chips
dijon mustard (you can also use a grainy mustard)
Tbsp (or more) honey


The night before you make your sandwiches, marinade your chicken.  In a large resealable plastic bag, add the buttermilk and a generous amount of freshly cracked black pepper.  On a cutting board, slice the chicken breast in half, running your knife parallel to the cutting board to create two thinner chicken breasts.  Add the chicken to the bag, seal and refrigerate overnight.

The next morning, prepare the chicken.  In a shallow bowl or baking dish, whisk together the eggs, hot sauce and a splash of water.  In another shallow dish, whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt.  Remove the chicken from the marinade and allow most of the buttermilk to drain off.  Dredge each thin breast in the egg mixture and then immediately coat in the flour mixture.  Repeat the process one more time with the egg and flour to make another layer of breading and place the breasts on a plate. Refrigerate chicken while you get your oil ready.

In a cast iron skillet or dutch oven, add two inches of peanut oil.  Using a candy or deep fry thermometer, heat the oil over medium-high heat until it reaches 350 degrees.

Remove the chicken breasts from the refrigerator and carefully place them in the hot oil.  Fry for approximately 8 minutes or until they turn a deep golden brown and are cooked all the way through.  Remove cooked chicken to a paper towel-lined sheet pan or plate to drain and cool a bit.

Split a freshly baked buttermilk biscuit in half and spread the insides with a teaspoon of butter.  Place one of the chicken breasts on the lower half of the biscuit, spread it with a bit of mustard and top with a generous drizzle of honey. Top with 4 or five pickle slices and finish with the top half of the biscuit to make a sandwich.  Continue assembling the other sandwich and serve piping hot.

Buttermilk Biscuits
adapted from this recipe
makes 8 large biscuits

5 cups sifted all purpose flour (sift before your measure)
1 Tbsp cream of tarter
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
1 Tbsp kosher salt
1 stick + 2 Tbsp unsalted butter, very cold and sliced into chunks
2 cups buttermilk, cold
1/4 cup heavy cream

Preheat oven to 500 degrees with a rack in the upper third position.  Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, cream of tarter, baking soda and kosher salt.  Add the cold butter and rub the mixture between your fingertips until the butter chunks are approximately 1/2 inch in size. Add the buttermilk to the flour mixture and gently stir with a rubber spatula until the dough just comes together.  At this point the dough may still be crumbly.

Dump the dough onto a floured surface and knead 8-10 times, until the dough comes together.  If the dough seems a bit too dry at this point, add a few more teaspoons of cold buttermilk and continue kneading.

Form the dough into a flat disc and roll out to 3/4 of an inch thickness.  Gently pierce the dough with a fork at 1/2 inch intervals, covering the entire surface. Cut biscuits with a 2 1/2 to 3 inch round cutter and re-roll the scraps to make 8. Arrange on the baking sheet and refrigerate the biscuits for 10-20 minutes.

Brush the tops of the refrigerated biscuits with the heavy cream.  Bake biscuits for 12-14 minutes or until golden brown on top and baked all the way through.  Serve while still warm.

Brush the unbaked biscuits generously with heavy cream to make them gloriously golden and flakey.

Fry your chicken until golden.  A thermometer ensures that your oil is always at the optimum temperature. 

Honey is truly the secret star ingredient in these sandwiches.  I love to use orange blossom honey, but any will do.

Freshly baked biscuits.  Ideally, bake the biscuits while you're frying the chicken.

Sweet, salty, crunchy and delicious.  

Avocado, Fried Egg & Goat Cheese Sandwich

Lest I lead all to believe that my diet over the past few months has consisted only of cookies and milkshakes,  I present the savory sandwich on my radar.  This is the one I'll make embarrassingly often for breakfast, lunch, snack or dinner.  It's easy:  Toast whole wheat sandwich bread, fry an egg, smear one piece of toast with ripe avocado, the other with goat cheese, lay egg in the middle and devour.  Oh, and don't forgot salt & pepper.  It's sharp, creamy, rich and grainy all at once.  This sandwich plus a handful Marcona almonds, some cornichon and a little salad = heaven on a plate.  Just be sure to save room for dessert.

Avocado, Fried Egg & Goat Cheese Sandwich
makes 1

2 slices whole wheat bread, toasted
1 Tbsp goat cheese, room temperature
1/2 ripe avocado, gently mashed
1 Tbsp butter
1 egg
salt & freshly cracked black pepper

Smear one slice of toast with the goat cheese and the other with the avocado.  Set aside while you fry your egg.

In a small saute pan or non-stick pan, heat butter over medium-high heat until bubbling.  Carefully crack in the egg and allow it to fry for about one minute, or until golden on the bottom.  Flip the egg gently, trying not to break the yolk.  Allow it to cook on the second side until it is to your desired doneness.  I like my yolk either runny or just barely firm and for that I usually leave the egg to cook on the the second side for 30 seconds to just under a minute.  Remove the egg from the pan and lay it on top of the goat cheese. Sprinkle the egg with salt and pepper and top with the avocado-smeared toast to make a sandwich.  Enjoy while the egg is still warm.

Freshly mashed avocado.  Creamy and luscious.  

Goat cheese and avocado, just waiting for an egg.

My ideal lunch.

Creamy, warm perfection.