Ramp Drop Biscuits

 

Sometimes I wish we lived in the South (or at least closer to the South).  Then again, if we lived closer to good barbeque and biscuit sandwiches, I would probably weigh a good 5-10 pounds more.  So maybe that's not such a good idea.  Every once in awhile I get a little anxious for a good BBQ and/or biscuit fix.  I tried to convince Alex a few weeks ago that we should go to Chapel Hill for a weekend in June so I could eat pulled pork at Allen & Sons and biscuit sandwiches from Sunrise Biscuit Kitchen and Bojangles.  Alex shot me down.  But I convinced him to make ramp drop biscuits today and we bought a Fast Pass for Big Apple BBQ in early June, so I will have to make do.  I am generalizing a bit here, but drop biscuits tend to be less flaky and layered and more tender, with a nice crust.  In my opinion, they make really good biscuit sandwiches.  Alex prefers flaky biscuits, but drop biscuits are nice because they are quick to make and aren't as messy - if you're feeling lazy you can totally make them in your food processor or your stand mixer in a matter of minutes.  You don't have to cut in the butter by hand and then roll them out on a cutting board before cutting them with a cookie/biscuit cutter (which inevitably results in a huge mess and lots of wasted dough scraps).  These biscuits came together so quickly and so easily that I was halfway tempted to declare that we should only make drop biscuits from now on.  But there are times when I want a really flaky biscuit so that plan isn't going to work.  Ramp biscuits aren't for everyone - they leave an interesting lingering (somewhat garlicky) aftertaste.  I think these biscuits would make an excellent breakfast biscuits - some scrambled eggs and ham or bacon would work really nicely with the flavor and texture of the biscuits.

Recipe after the jump!

Ramp Drop Biscuits

Available at Serious Eats

 

INGREDIENTS:
4 cups (about 20 ounces) all purpose flour
4 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons sugar
1 1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup (8 ounces) unsalted butter, chilled and cut into 1/2 inch cubes
About 12 young ramps, bulbs chopped fine and leaves cut into thin strips (about 2/3 cups)
2 cups buttermilk, plus more for brushing
Freshly ground black pepper

Set a rack in center of oven. Preheat oven to 400°F. In bowl of a stand mixer, combine flour, baking soda, baking powder, sugar, and salt. Turn mixer on to low speed, then add butter and mix until butter is in pea-sized or smaller chunks, about 4 minutes. Add ramps, then drizzle in buttermilk. Once buttermilk is mostly absorbed, turn off mixer and carefully fold any stray flour or buttermilk into the dough with a rubber spatula.

Line a baking sheet with parchment or a silicone mat. Scoop biscuits into 1/2 cup mounds, leaving at least 2 inches between each biscuit on all sides. Brush with buttermilk and sprinkle with pepper. Bake for 15 minutes, then rotate pan, reduce heat to 350°F and bake for another 15-20 minutes, until lightly colored on top and firm to the touch, Allow to cool slightly before eating.