21 October 2011

Molly Wizenberg Sweet Potato Biscuits with Ham, Mustard and Honey

sweet potato biscuits with ham and mustard and drizzled with honey
Sweet Potato Biscuits with Ham, Mustard and Honey
Here it is Friday again and our group has now reached #20 on the list of Gourmet Live's 50 Women Game Changers. For the past few months we have been experimenting with dishes from each of the 50 influential women on "the list" so far. Whether you agree or disagree with the authors chosen fifty and their order it has been an enjoyable and creative outlet to cook from the masters. We have checked out books from the library, borrowed cookbooks from friends, surfed the Internet and browsed our own cookbook collections seeking that one recipe that will highlight that weeks outstanding woman.

If you are a foodie, you will know the name Molly Wizenberg. She's a Seattle-based food writer who is best known in our world from her pioneering food blog Orangette. It is here that we first discovered her friendly, conversational approach to writing, cooking and exploring food where each post is a jewel box with an impeccable recipe attached. She has been compared to such greats as M.F.K. Fisher and has thousands of fans, me included. The foods she writes about and photographs, she said, helps her understand who she is and where she came from, her city and the people in her life. "It's a way of making sense of the world."

She writes a regular column in  Bon Appetit, has written a New York Times bestseller (A Homemade Life: Stories and Recipes from My Kitchen Table). Reading her blog is an intimate experience; reading her memoir of losing her father and falling in love with her husband is even more so. Back in 2005 Brandon Pettit wrote her that her writing was exactly how he felt about food and life. Two months later, after an intense cross-country romance, she introduced him to her readers. The next year, they were engaged, and Brandon bought a one-way ticket to Seattle where they now own a popular pizzeria Delancy.


One of my favourite well-travelled bloggers Mary of One Perfect Bite invited bloggers to travel along on a culinary journey throughout the year. Gourmet Live brought out a list of the 50 most influential women in food...Fifty women game changers. Some are chefs, some are food writers, and some are women who are passionate about the creative process. You could certainly add or detract women from this list, but no matter what these women have all influenced us in one way or another. Being a woman and passionate about food myself I wanted to explore and join Mary on this journey and not only learn from the masters but recreate some of their dishes to better understand what has shaped and molded them into who they are today. In doing so I have learned more about myself, and have learned more than a few new recipes and techniques. My cohorts for this adventure can be found below. If you would like to join in  please contact Mary. This is an informal event and you have the flexibility to follow along when you can. We have reached #20 on the list of 50. We post every Friday.

Let's see what we have been up to with our 20th game changer....

Val of More Than Burnt Toast - Sweet Potato Biscuits with Ham, Mustard and Honey
Joanne of Eats Well With Others  - Green Lentil Soup with Coconut Milk and Warm Spices
Susan of The Spice Garden  -  Dorons Meatballs with Pine Nuts, Cilantro and Golden Raisins
Taryn of Have Kitchen, Will Feed  - Apple Butter
Heather of Girlichef  - Scottish Scones with Lemon and Ginger
Miranda of Mangoes and Chutney - Cream of Scallop Soup
Jeanette at Jeanette's Healthy Living  - Chana Masala
Katie - Making Michael Pollan Proud
Kathleen Van Bruinisse at Bake Away with Me
Sue of View from The Great Island - Salted Peanut Butter Cookies
Barbara of Moveable Feasts - Jimmy’s Triple Chocolate Scones
Nancy of Picadillo - Apple and Butternut Squash Soup


What I love about Molly's cooking is that her style is eclectic, so just like my own Canadian roots she has a melting pot of cultures to choose from. These are flaky, buttery, perfectly seasoned biscuits. The naturally sweet and fruity, mashed sweet potatoes add a delicious and unexpected flavour. The salty ham and tangy mustard balanced these well for a memorable breakfast treat. If you've made biscuits before, then you know how easy these will be. The only change I made to the recipe is to chill the butter thoroughly, or you could even freeze it, and then grate it into the flour mixture, a little trick I learned from the Food Network that works beautifully every time.

In a few short minutes I am headed for a shopping adventure, but what would be an adventure be without some serious foodie time. I am going to go to a Cider Mill as well as a town in the Cascade Mountains that leaves you feeling you are in Bavaria. Schnitzel anyone!!! Camera in tow I hope to have some adventures to share with you all.

**Sweet Potato Biscuits with Ham, Mustard, and Honey**
Bon Appétit December 2009 by Molly Wizenberg
  • 1 3/4-pound red-skinned sweet potato (yam), peeled, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
  • 1 3/4 cups all purpose flour
  • 1 tablespoon (packed) dark brown sugar
  • 2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • Pinch of cayenne pepper
  • 8 tablespoons (1 stick, 1/2 cup) chilled unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes, plus 2 tablespoons butter, melted
  • 1/3 cup chilled buttermilk
  • Dijon mustard
  • 6 ounces thinly sliced country ham or Black Forest ham
  • Honey
1. Cook sweet potato in medium saucepan of boiling salted water until tender, 8 to 10 minutes. Drain, cool, and mash.

2. Position rack in lower third of oven; preheat to 425°F. Butter bottom and sides of 9-inch cake pan with 1 1/2-inch-high sides.

3. Whisk flour and next 5 ingredients in large bowl. Add cubed butter to flour mixture (or do as I do and grate the butter directly into the bowl then just toss it with the flour); toss to coat and rub in with fingertips until mixture resembles coarse meal. Whisk 3/4 cup mashed sweet potatoes and buttermilk in medium bowl. Add to flour mixture; toss with fork. Gather mixture in bowl, kneading until dough comes together. Turn dough out onto floured work surface and pat into 1-inch-thick round. Using 11/2-inch round biscuit cutter, cut out biscuits, flouring cutter after each cut. Gather scraps; pat into 1-inch-thick round. Cut out additional biscuits (do not reuse scraps more than once).

4. Arrange biscuits side by side in prepared cake pan. Brush with melted butter. Bake until puffed and golden on top and tester inserted into center biscuit comes out clean, about 22 minutes. Cool 10 minutes in pan. Turn biscuits out and gently pull them apart. Cut each biscuit in half crosswise.

5. Spread bottom half of each biscuit with mustard, then top each with sliced ham and second half of biscuit. Serve with honey.


You are reading this post on More Than Burnt Toast at http://morethanburnttoast.blogspot.com. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to the author and or owner of More Than Burnt Toast. All rights reserved by Valerie Harrison. Best Blogger Tips

33 comments:

  1. These look great.I love Molly..have Her Homemade Life:)

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  2. What elegant looking little breakfast nibbles! I so admire Molly and her blog ... you've done such a nice post on her, Val!

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  3. They look so good, eapecially when used to make such a wonderful sandwich!

    Cheers,

    Rosa

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  4. I do enjoy Molly's writing style - the honey dripping on top of these biscuit sandwiches got me!

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  5. Oh Val...that oozing honey is pure food porn...ya got me!

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  6. Dear Val this look fantastic, I have some recipes from Molly Wizenberg and I love them!! and thes elook delicious! have a nice weekend!! gloria

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  7. i really need one or three of these right now before i hit the gym.
    i adore anything sweet potato. i have about 4 pounds of sweet potato fries in my freezer. LOL bad.

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  8. These bring me back to my vacation last summer where this one restaurant with rolls of butcher paper on the table and paper towels for napkins had the best sweet potato biscuits. I can imagine how good yours would be with the flavor of the salty ham and spciy mustard against the sweetness.

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  9. I have been following Molly for a while now. Like the honey dripping on top of your sandwich.

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  10. Isn't Molly's story so beautifully romantic?
    I came THISCLOSE to making these biscuits! Amazing!

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  11. Fantastic pictures - they look amazing Val!

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  12. What a great way to start the day. These look wonderful and I've never tried this recipe. It's time to change that.Have a great day, Val. Blessings...Mary

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  13. I LOVE...LOVE...the sound of these. I think I'll be making some very, very soon!

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  14. Loe that you come up with thse original sandwiches; sure looks good.
    Rita

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  15. I think what I like best about Molly's writing is that she's so honest. Definitely engaging, but there's nothing artificial about her. It's real. And she and you make these biscuits really tempting.

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  16. Gorgeous biscuits - have fun in Leavenworth. Even the mention of the Cascades makes me homesick!

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  17. This looks so good I would have it for dinner. I'm glad to get the tip about grating the frozen butter, I think that would work for scones, too.

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  18. Beautiful action shot with the honey, Val! I love Molly's work. I'm not a big fan of biscuits, but these would be an exception.

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  19. Wow, this sounds amazing! I'm loving the sound of sweet potato biscuits, and what a great combination of ham, mustard and honey. It sounds delicious :)

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  20. I follow Molly's blog and thought I had all her Bon Appetit columns - but this escaped me. Thanks for filling it in - a perfect autumn recipe.

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  21. Wonderful combo, Val. I've not seen this recipe but I love the idea of making a ham sandwich with this yummy biscuit!

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  22. I've never made biscuits even though I just adore them-- though i've got plenty of recipes in my bookmarks for them. Sweet potato biscuits sounds like then perfect seasonal treat.
    *kisses* HH

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  23. Ya, I'm in for the oozing honey over the sweet potato - did you do a one handed shot with that one?

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  24. They look delicious. I especially like the salty and sweet combination. Another nice combination which I think I will be making this weekend is your Skillet Butternut Squash and Italian Sausage Lasagna.

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  25. I'm also a huge fan of Molly's eclectic style. The biscuits look like the perfect brunch...love the honey with the savory filling.

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  26. I've followed Molly's blog for years and am one of her biggest fans. I love the recipe you chose, Val. The combination of flavors in this recipe are mouthwatering.

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  27. I'm droll. love honey mustard Love the all combo. Great idea Val

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  28. sweet potater biscuits are tasty, but i've never had them with ham--great idea! the mustard and honey add even more intrigue! :)

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  29. Now that is a nice way to enjoy some biscuits!

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  30. Those biscuits do sound like a real rest, and what a great tip - grating the cold butter in? Awesome! You have made me want to read her memoir, as I would love to read more about how she met her husband. The new book, Delancy, should be a good read.

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  31. This looks SO YUMMY. Wishing for this for breakfast today.

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Welcome to my home. Thank you for choosing to stay a while and for sharing our lives through food. I appreciate all your support, comments, suggestions, and daily encouragement.

Val

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