How are your plans for 2020 panning out? I was set to go to Honolulu (Feb. 29 to March 5) but ended up cancelling the trip amid COVID-19 concerns. So I decided to enjoy a staycation and explore the local food scene instead.
As proof, here’s a glimpse of what I gorged on in just six days:
- Jalea mixta and pescado con ají at Ají Limo in San Carlos
- A refreshing winter salad at Mediterranean Kitchen in Burlingame
- Brazilian cheese bread from Market Hall Bakery in Oakland
- Larb gai and pad see ew at Imm Thai Street Food and an assortment of Mochi Muffins® (black sesame, matcha and ube) from Third Culture Bakery in Berkeley
- Paella Valencia and exotic mushroom handmade pasta (with “too many ingredients to list!”) at ASA in Los Altos
- A chicken shawarma salad and french fries at Zadna in Redwood City
- One of the classics (blistered eggplant and cauliflower salad) and more house-made fries at AL’s Deli in San Francisco
No surprise, I spent some time in the kitchen, too. On top of all the aforementioned fare, I cooked and consumed a hearty stew and these buttery citrus honey biscuits, a twist on a favorite creation. The pastries are best eaten warm from the oven or split and slathered with orange marmalade (for a little extra zing).
Alas, now it’s back to reality.
Recipe adapted from Wild Wild Whisk.
Citrus Honey Biscuits
Makes 6 biscuits
Ingredients
Dough:
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- finely grated zest of 1 orange
- finely grated zest of ½ lemon
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, cold, cut into small pieces
- ¾ cup buttermilk (see notes)
- ¼ cup honey
Finish:
- buttermilk
- 1 tablespoon Demerara sugar
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, orange zest and lemon zest. Add the butter and rub it into the flour mixture with your fingertips until it resembles coarse meal.
- In a separate bowl, combine the buttermilk and honey; mix well. Add the wet mixture to the dry mixture and stir until just combined.
- Turn out dough onto a lightly floured work surface and pat into a 1"-thick rectangle. Fold the dough in half, turn it 90 degrees and pat into a 1"-thick rectangle. Repeat the process 3 more times, flouring your work surface as necessary to prevent sticking.
- Fold the dough into thirds, like a business letter, and pat into a 1"-thick rectangle. Repeat the process 1 more time, flouring your work surface as necessary to prevent sticking.
- Using a sharp knife or bench scraper, cut the dough into 6 smaller rectangles and transfer to the prepared baking sheet. Freeze biscuits for 15 minutes.
- Remove biscuits from the freezer and brush tops with buttermilk. Sprinkle with Demerara sugar.
- Bake for 15-18 minutes or until golden brown. Serve warm or at room temperature.
Notes
I rarely buy buttermilk because it's so easy to make with ingredients you likely have on hand. Just pour 1 tablespoon lemon juice or white vinegar in a measuring cup and add enough milk to hit the 1-cup line. Let the mixture sit at room temperature for 5-10 minutes until curdled.
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