For a green chile laden alternative to breakfast burritos and huevos rancheros, try adding southwestern spice to a southern classic, biscuits and gravy. The green chile biscuits are tasty with or without the gravy and they freeze well.
Green Chile Biscuits | Makes about 16
Ingredients
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
2 1/4 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
7 Tablespoons unsalted butter (chill in freezer and grate into shall bits using a cheese grater or vegetable peeler)
1 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup cold buttermilk
2 Tablespoons buttermilk for brushing
1/3 cup hatch green chile, fire roasted, peeled, seeded and diced (pick your heat level). Drain excess fluid thoroughly. 1-2 Tablespoons of dried green chile will work if you don’t have access to fresh or if you want your biscuits to rise more. It is important to drain the chile. Use a hotter variety for spicier biscuits, but don’t use more.
3/4 cup shredded cheese (I like sharp cheddar)
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) salted butter, melted and cooled
Directions
Step 1: Preheat oven to 425 degrees F (220 C). Line a baking sheet with a baking mat or parchment paper.
Step 2: Mix flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl. Cut butter into flour mixture with a pastry blender until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs, about 5 minutes. Add shredded cheese. Toss in butter and flour mixture until the cheese is well dusted.
Step 3: Make a well in the center of butter and flour mixture and put the well-drained chile in the middle. Pour in the 3/4 cup buttermilk, like a moat. Stir until just combined. Do not over mix.
Step 4: Place dough on a floured surface and pat into a rectangle. Fold the rectangle in thirds. Turn dough 1/2 turn and flatten into a rectangle again. Repeat this process two more times, folding and pressing dough a total of three times. Dust lightly with flour if the dough becomes too “sticky.”
Step 5: Roll dough to about 1/2 inch thick on a floured surface. Cut out 12 biscuits using a 2 1/2-inch round biscuit cutter (or smaller if you prefer). Place the biscuits on the prepared baking sheet. Press an indent into the top of each biscuit with your thumb and brush the tops with the remaining buttermilk. Chill for about 1/2 hour for taller biscuits.
Step 6: Bake in the preheated oven until browned, about 15 minutes.
Freezing
These biscuits freeze well. If you plan on saving some or all of them, place the uncooked biscuits on the baking sheet with parchment paper. Do NOT brush with buttermilk. Cover with plastic wrap and put in the freezer. Once the biscuits are frozen, store them in a zip lock in the freezer until you are ready to consume them.
To serve, pre-heat the oven to 475 degrees Fahrenheit. Place frozen biscuits on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, a baking mat, etc., and brush with buttermilk. Bake them for about 7 minutes. Turn the oven off and leave the biscuits in for 5 more minutes, until lightly browned. Don’t open the door during the 5 minute browning period. Add 1 min at a time until lightly browned.
Green Chile Sausage Gravy
Ingredients
- 1 Pound ground green chile pork sausage or pork breakfast sausage
- 2 Tablespoons Butter
- 1/3 cup flour
- 3 cups milk
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/3 cup green chile (pick your heat level). You can add more chile or a hotter variety to adjust the heat to your palate.
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons black pepper
Directions
Step 1: Brown the sausage in a large skillet over medium-high heat until no longer pink. Crumble.
Step 2: Add the butter to the pan and stir it until melted. Sprinkle the flour over the sausage and stir for 2 minutes. This creates a roux.
Step 3: Pour the milk into the mixture slowly, whisking constantly until smooth. Whisk in the salt, pepper, garlic powder and green chile. Taste the gravy and adjust to taste as necessary.
Serve immediately over the green chile biscuits.
Please leave your recipe modifications, or any questions that you may have, in the comments.
