Rosemary-Black Pepper Cheddar Biscuits With Bacon Gravy and Toma

Name: Rosemary-Black Pepper Cheddar Biscuits With Bacon Gravy and Toma
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 30 min
Yield: 8-10 serving(s)
Ingredients: 354.88 ml flour; 4.92 ml salt; 9.85 ml baking powder; 2.46 ml baking soda; 1.23 ml black pepper, fresh ground; 59.16 ml shortening, chilled; 44.37 ml fresh rosemary, minced; 14.79 ml fresh parsley, minced; 59.14 ml sharp cheddar cheese, shredded; 1 egg, beaten; 177.44 ml buttermilk; 5 slice bacon (we like thick cut); 59.14 ml flour; 473.18-709.77 ml milk; salt and pepper; 2 tomatoes, sliced thick; salt and pepper; chives, minced (optional); parsley, minced (optional)

Submitted by under12parsecs

"This recipe is best at the height of summer when the tomatoes are huge, red, and juicy beyond belief. If it isn't tomato season, I'd recommend omitting them. I serve this for dinner with a sweet potato hash/fries, or sunny side up eggs and hashbrowns for breakfast..."

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photo by under12parsecs

Ready In:: 30mins
Ingredients:: 19
Serves:: 8

ingredients

354.88 ml flour
4.92 ml salt
9.85 ml baking powder
2.46 ml baking soda
1.23 ml black pepper, fresh ground
59.16 ml shortening, chilled
44.37 ml fresh rosemary, minced
14.79 ml fresh parsley, minced
59.14 ml sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
1 egg, beaten
177.44 ml buttermilk
5 slice bacon (we like thick cut)
59.14 ml flour
473.18-709.77 ml milk
salt and pepper
2 tomatoes, sliced thick
salt and pepper
chives, minced (optional)
parsley, minced (optional)

directions

Preheat oven to 450*.
Stir together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and pepper. Cut in chilled shortening (or rub in with fingers) until pea-sized lumps form. Stir in herbs and cheese.
Whisk together buttermilk and egg and add to flour. Gently stir with a fork until just combined. Don't over mix or you'll end up with hard biscuits.
Turn dough out onto a floured work surface. Pat down gently to a 1/2 inch thick circle or square. Using a floured biscuit cutter, press down and cut out biscuits. ( Do not twist cutter to remove the biscuits. My mom always said that would make the biscuits not rise and she made the most amazing biscuits -- so that is still how I do it. Just straight down, and straight up with the cutter.) You can reknead the scraps to form more biscuits, but the will not be as tender as the first ones. I usually just kind of pat the scraps into little biscuit shapes. I get 8-10 out of this recipe total.
Place on an ungreased sheet pan and bake for 10-15 minutes until light golden brown.
Meanwhile, fry bacon over medium heat until just crispy. Remove from skillet and place on a paper towel. Reserve the drippings in the pan.
Add flour to the bacon grease and whisk til smooth. Cook for a minute or so to get rid of the raw flour taste. Do not burn the flour though --
Add milk all at once, whisking like crazy the whole time. Heat til bubbling and simmer 5-10 minutes until the gravy begins to thicken. Add salt and pepper to taste.
Cut open your biscuit and top each with a thick slice of tomato. Season liberally with salt and pepper--tomatoes ALWAYS need salt and pepper if you ask me -- Ladle over a heaping (or not so heaping) helping of your gravy. Crumble the bacon over the top, sprinkle with chives and/or parsley and additional salt and pepper as desired. Enjoy!