Here is a great treat to try on St. Patricks day!
All you need is some sprigs of cilantro and my mother’s best biscuit recipe. These are baking powder biscuits, not the southern buttermilk variety, but I grew up eating these and they are TOTALLY awesome!
Pressing the cilantro leaf into the top before you bake them gives these biscuits the look of a shamrock, perfect for the holiday (and it tastes better than green beer, if you ask me!).
Make sure your baking powder is fresh so that they raise – I forgot to check mine once and they were – uh – flat:)
Here is the recipe for Barbara’s Biscuits (thank you Mom!):
Barbara’s (St Patrick’s Day) Biscuits
Preheat oven to 425º F
2 cups flour
4 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp each cream of tartar and salt
2 tsp sugar
1/2 cup shortening
2/3 cup milk
Cilantro Sprigs, most of stem torn off, leaving the leaf (see picture, above).
Combine dry ingredients. Cut in shortening. Add milk, and stir with a fork.
Turn out onto a floured board and kneed at least 20 times. Roll out and cut with a biscuit cutter. Place on baking sheet, 2 inches apart. Press a cilantro leaf into the center of each biscuit. Makes 12 large biscuits.
Bake 12-15 minutes, or until nicely browned.
Serve while still warm. Great served with butter and honey, jam, or apple butter. Also great with sausage gravy, or if made large enough, you can cut them in half and add egg, bacon or sausage, and cheese for a wonderful egg sandwich.
