Biscuits and Gravy

Post date: Sep 19, 2015 7:34:00 PM

Biscuits:

2 cups all purpose gluten free flour, plus more for sprinkling

1 tsp xanthan gum

7 Tbsp. non-fat dry milk, blended into a fine powder

1 1/2 tsp. baking powder

1/4 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. salt

8 Tbsp. unsalted butter, roughly chopped and chilled

7 fluid ounces (14 Tbsp.) milk or cream, chilled

Gravy:

1 to 1/2 lbs. bulk pork sausage (or regular pork sausage with the casings removed)

1/4 cup basic xanthan gum-free flour blend

6 fluid ounces (12 Tbsp.) milk - do not use non-fat milk

2 Tbsp. heavy whipping cream

1 1/2 cups (12 fluid ounces) chicken stock

Salt and pepper to taste

Freshly ground nutmeg, to taste (optional)

Directions:

First, make the biscuits. Preheat oven to 375. Line a rimmed baking sheet with unbleached parchment paper and set it aside.

In a large bowl, place the flour, xanthan gum, nonfat dry milk, baking powder, baking soda and salt, and whisk to combine well. Add the chopped and chilled butter, and toss to coat it in the dry ingredients. Flatten each chunk of butter between your thumb and forefinger. Create a well in the center of the dry ingredients and add the milk or cream, and mix until the dough begins to come together. If necessary, press together into a dough with floured hands, handling it as little as possible.

Turn out the dough onto a lightly floured piece of unbleached parchment paper and press into a disk. Place another piece of unbleached parchment paper on top of the dough, and roll out into a rectangle that is about 1 inch thick. Remove the top piece of paper, sprinkle lightly with flour, and fold the dough over on itself like you would a business letter. Sprinkle the dough again lightly with flour, replace the parchment paper and roll out the dough once again into a rectangle about 1 inch thick. Once more, remove the top piece of paper, sprinkle lightly with flour, and fold the dough over on itself, just as you did previously. Sprinkle the dough again lightly with flour, replace the parchment paper and roll out the dough, but this time into a disk about 1-1/2 to 2 inches thick. Peel back the top piece of parchment paper, and, using a floured 3-1/2 inch cookie cutter, cut out rounds of dough. Place the rounds about 2 inches apart from one another on the prepared baking sheet. Gather and re-roll the scraps, and cut out as many more rounds of dough as possible. Chill in the freezer until firm, about 10 minutes.

While the biscuits are chilling, begin to make the gravy. Place the sausage in a heavy-bottomed skillet and cook over medium heat, breaking up any large clumps and stirring occasionally, until the sausage is lightly golden brown and cooked through. Drain the rendered pork fat away from the cooked pork and transfer it to a separate, small bowl. Remove the cooked pork from the skillet and set it aside.

Now, bake the biscuits. Remove the baking sheet from the freezer and place it in the center of the preheated oven. Bake until the biscuits are puffed, very fragrant and lightly golden brown around the edges (about 20 minutes). Remove from the oven and allow the biscuits to cool briefly on the baking sheet. While the biscuits are cooling, finish making the gravy.

Return about 4 Tbsp. of the rendered pork fat to the skillet.. Add the xanthan gum-free flour blend, and mix to combine. Cook over medium heat, stirring frequently, until the mixture is light golden brown and nutty smelling (about 3 minutes, and it will go from very blond to golden brown and fragrant quite suddenly, so pay close attention!). Add the milk, cream and stock, and mix to combine. Bring the mixture to a simmer over medium heat, and cook, stirring constantly until thickened (about 6 minutes). Stir in the salt, pepper and nutmeg to taste. Add some of the cooked pork and serve over the warm biscuits immediately.