Is it possible that tomorrow is the beginning of Memorial Day Weekend? How on earth did that happen?
It’s been a long week since my last post. Much has happened – graduation, birthday, moving out, moving in, laundry, sorting, storing, planning the next moves…….. I literally just unpacked my suitcase from Sunday this morning – ugh.
All through it all, I kept thinking about baking. This morning, with the cupboards nearly bare, I made a scone I have been thinking about for a long time – one which celebrates the coming of summertime tomatoes and basil – and with that all-time favorite addition to anything, bacon, and a bit of my fav Comté cheese! I haven’t gotten my “real” plantings of basil and tomatoes going yet, but I always have a pot of basil on my kitchen windowsill. Tomorrow could be a big day outside!
One of my absolute favorite sandwiches in the Summer is a BLT on whole grain toast but with leaves of fresh basil on top of those thick slices of heirloom or beefsteak tomatoes – you know the ones I’m talking about – highly fragrant and oozing – picked right off the vine at the very peak of ripeness! Ohhhh, could I go for one of those right now!! They are so refreshing – and, thoughts of these sandwiches are what I had in the back of my mind today! I actually love these sans the bacon as well, but don’t tell anyone……..
I’m just warming up in the kitchen into Summertime recipe mode (and honestly I’ve already been dreaming of an ooey-gooey S’More or two! and my first lobster roll at Sesuit Harbor with someone – and you know who you are!). And, of course, I am awaiting my first decent peaches. I did buy a few white peaches and 6 apricots about 10 days ago and they were a disappointment. Last night I saw someone sautéing pigeon (Ireland) and this made me think about fresh plum-based sauces for duck breasts. Then, I saw Lidia make a cherry sauce for lamb chops and well, you know…………
BACON, BASIL AND TOMATO SCONES WITH COMTE CHEESE
2 cups all purpose flour
1 tblsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1 tblsp sugar
6 tblsp unsalted butter, cold, cut into cubes
2 eggs
1/2 cup buttermilk
1 ripe tomato, diced
3 strips crispy bacon, crumbled
1/2 cup comté cheese, grated
egg wash
coarse sea salt
1/4 cup fresh basil leaves, cut into small pieces
Preheat oven to 400F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. In bowl of a food processor, pulse together flour, baking powder, sugar, pepper and salt. Add cubed butter and pulse until mixture resembles coarse meal. Remove mixture to a low wide bowl.
In a measuring cup, whisk together the eggs and buttermilk. Toss the grated cheese and bacon in the flour mixture with your hands until evenly distributed and fully coated with flour. Add the egg/buttermilk mixture – first 2/3 and then more if batter needs it. Add tomatoes and toss lightly with a dough scraper. Spoon onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper – yielding 9 scones or make into an 8″ diameter disk. Brush with egg wash and sprinkle lightly with sea salt. Bake for 18-20 minutes or until golden and crusty. Serve immediately with a swath of honey or maple syrup, if desired.
I’m looking forward to relaxing a bit now (huh?). Anyway, I AM looking forward to the produce offerings at the Farmer’s Market picking up!
Incidentally – don’t forget to vote for Alice Waters in the New Jersey Hall of Fame Class of 2014 at njhalloffame.org/2014-nominees
November 9 at Union Square