Ah, my good companions, here we are on the cusp of 2020, and some hindsight is still necessary. The reader who had a large bag of coconut flour still has that same unopened bag and hopes you will provide some recipes and uses. We are still looking for ways to use whole frozen okra, for coffee cake recipes made with Splenda or other sugar substitutes, and for pork chops cooked to perfection on a Big Green Egg.
NEVER-FAIL BISCUITS
The latest biscuit challenge in this column got the attention of Frances Connor, and for the best of reasons. “I was frustrated for years with my inability to make consistently good biscuits and tried far too many recipes/methods. When I read about the Southern Living Buttermilk favorite, which used frozen shredded butter, my world changed. These work EVERY time and are delicious.”
In printing this recipe, the magazine’s writer testified, “After baking hundreds of Southern buttermilk biscuit recipes, our Test Kitchen landed on this winning recipe for Our Favorite Buttermilk Biscuits.
“This no-fail biscuit recipe will make you look like a pro, even if this is your first attempt at biscuit-making. The instructions below are precise for a reason and should be followed as written. When we say to stir the dough 15 times, we mean it. When rolling out the dough, don’t press down too hard or overwork the dough. This will give the biscuits a dense, tough texture. You’ll be rewarded with layer upon buttery layer of biscuit perfection.”
Our Favorite Buttermilk Biscuits
1/2 cup butter (1 stick), frozen
2 1/2 cups self-rising flour
1 cup chilled buttermilk
Parchment paper
2 tablespoons butter, melted
Heat oven to 475 degrees. Grate frozen butter using large holes of a box grater. Toss together grated butter and flour in a medium bowl. Chill 10 minutes.
Make a well in center of mixture. Add buttermilk, and stir 15 times. Dough will be sticky.
Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Lightly sprinkle flour over top of dough. Using a lightly floured rolling pin, roll dough into a 3/4-inch-thick rectangle (about 9 by 5 inches). Fold dough in half so short ends meet. Repeat rolling and folding process 4 more times.
Roll dough to 1/2-inch thickness. Cut with a 2 1/2-inch floured round cutter, reshaping scraps and flouring as needed.
Place dough rounds on a parchment-paper-lined jellyroll pan. Bake at 475 degrees for 15 minutes or until lightly browned. Brush with melted butter.
Chef’s notes: For Pillowy Dinner Rolls, cut in 1/2 cup cold shortening instead of cold butter. You’ll get a soft biscuit that stays tender, even when cool. Plus, shortening has a neutral flavor that will complement anything on your dinner plate.
GRAPEFRUIT DILEMMA
Martin Davis reads Fare Exchange on return visits to his hometown on Wednesdays and recently had an answer to a question. “Your last week’s column had somebody asking about pink and white grapefruit. I haven’t found a source for pink grapefruit, but here’s a source for white.” It’s halegroves.com.
“And surprisingly, when my wife and I were in South Florida last year, when I was hunting for roadside stands and groves, it is almost impossible to find them. I was told that nearly all the business is via the internet and shipping, not in person. However, I did find this website that appears to list groves that can be visited and at which the fruit can be bought: https://www.visitflorida.com/en-us/eat-drink/florida-orange-citrus-grove-tours.html.
“I picked a couple of the listings at random, and it appears that they are closed, so I would warn the reader that they should always call to make sure they’re open before wasting a trip.”
EASY DESSERT
This easy dessert is part of a collection one of you shared. The cookbook is “Fix, Freeze, Take and Bake.” You can make this a fine winter dish with frozen peaches and bring it out again in peachy summertime. And I am guessing any fruit would work with this crisp recipe.
Peach Pecan Crisp
4 cups sliced peaches, fresh or frozen
1/3 cup honey
1 cup chopped pecans
2/3 cup flour
1/3 cup sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
5 tablespoons butter, melted
Lightly grease a 9- by 13-inch baking dish. Layer sliced peaches across the bottom, and drizzle with honey and pecans. If using frozen peaches, thaw them just enough that they can be broken up and layered. Frozen peaches will preserve better if they are not fully thawed and refrozen. In a medium bowl, combine flour, sugar and salt. Pour melted butter over top. With a fork or the side of a spatula, use a cutting motion to combine until the mixture resembles pea-size crumbs. Sprinkle topping over peaches. Cover and freeze.
To prepare: Heat oven to 350 degrees. Uncover, and bake frozen peach crisp for 60 minutes.
STUFFED LASAGNA
This creative use of lasagna noodles came from one of Margaret Clark’s family cookbooks.
Spinach-Stuffed Lasagna Ruffles
1 (8-ounce) package lasagna noodles
1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese
2 (10-ounce) boxes chopped spinach, thawed and drained
15 ounces ricotta cheese
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese,
1 1/2 cups fresh Parmesan cheese, divided
1 1/2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
1 (32-ounce) spaghetti sauce
Cook noodles. Drain. Beat cream cheese until smooth. Stir in spinach, ricotta, mozzarella, 1 cup Parmesan cheese, Italian seasoning and salt. Spread 1/2 cup mixture over each noodle. Roll noodle jelly-roll fashion. Cut in half to make two small jelly rolls. Pour spaghetti sauce into lightly greased 9- by 13-inch pan. Place rolls cut-side down in sauce. Sprinkle with remaining Parmesan cheese. Cover and bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes or until heated.
FRESH BASIL SOURCES
Thanks to you, Michele Brown, for finding a source for fresh basil to grow inside. “Fresh Market on Gunbarrel has lots of small pots of basil, along with parsley, thyme and mint. These are found in the produce section where the tomatoes and avocados are located.” Ms. Brown also believes such basil is available at Whole Foods. (And a neighbor of ours found a supply at The Barn Nursery, so possibilities abound.)
I look forward to abundant possibilities for food and newsprint company, and hope we can continue these conversations through 2020.
REQUESTS
* Uses for coconut flour
* Recipes for whole frozen okra
* Coffee cake made with Splenda
* Pork chops cooked on a Big Green Egg
Jane HenegarTO REACH US
Fare Exchange is a longtime meeting place for people who love to cook and love to eat. We welcome both your recipes and your requests. Be sure to include precise instructions for every recipe you send.
* Mailing address: Jane Henegar, 913 Mount Olive Road, Lookout Mountain, GA 30750.
* Email: chattfare@gmail.com
* Fax: 423-668-5092