15 Days of Elgin Christmas- Day 9

Butternut Squash & Rosemary Biscuits

On Day #9 in our 15 Days of Elgin Christmas, I chose to bake another savoury item that would compliment your Christmas breakfast or supper table. Using organic roasted butternut squash from The Dancey Family Farm and dried rosemary from the Horton Farmers' Market manager's garden (that's a mouthful!), these biscuits bake up flaky, buttery and are incredibly aromatic. Sage, thyme, onions, cheese or bacon could all be added to the biscuit dough if you prefer to skip the woodsy aroma of rosemary. The recipe below is easily adaptable and forgivable. Roll the biscuits ahead of time and bake from frozen if it's more convenient. Try making your own biscuits and taste the difference home-baked makes!

---

Rolled Biscuit Dough

Butternut Squash & Rosemary Biscuits
Makes 12 Biscuits (2 1/2")

If you do not have separate flours, All Purpose Unbleached Flour will work fine.

2 1/2 c unbleached soft pastry flour
1/2 c unbleached hard bread flour
1 T baking powder
2 t chopped herbs (rosemary, thyme, sage, etc.)
1/2 c cold cubed unsalted butter
1/2 c roasted and mashed squash (butternut, pumpkin, pepper, etc.)
1/2 c- 3/4 c buttermilk, milk, or cream (+1 T for brushing)

Combine dry ingredients in a large bowl. Using a pastry cutter or your fingers, cut the butter into the flour mixture until it resembles course oatmeal. Spoon in the squash and gently incorporate it into the butter/flour mixture. Pour about 1/2 c of the milk into the squash mixture and using your fingers, make a raking motion to evenly distribute the liquid. Once the mixture just comes together in one mound, fold the dough over on itself 2 times. This will help create the layers in the biscuit. Roll the dough out on a floured surface about 3/4" thick. Using a 2 1/2" ring cutter, cut out the biscuits and place on a cookie sheet. (Alternately,  roll the dough into a rectangle and cut it with a knife into 12 pieces.) Place the sheet into the fridge for at least 30 minutes. (You could freeze the biscuits at this point, baking directly from frozen when you get a hankerin'.) While the biscuits are relaxing and chilling, preheat the oven to 375 F. Once you are ready to bake, brush the tops of the biscuits with milk, and place on the middle rack of the oven. Bake for 18-22 minutes (rotating the pan halfway through) or until puffed and the tops and bottoms are golden brown.

---

Photo from Dancey Family Farm with heirloom tomatoes and edamame

The Dancey Family Farm, located just outside of Summers Corner off of Highway #3, is a certified organic farm where they produce grain and soybean crops, as well as edamame soybeans and heirloom tomatoes. Elgin Harvest has prepared several preserves using Dancey Farm tomatillos and eggplant. The family has farmed in this area since 1830.

---

Follow The Dancey Family Farm on Facebook.
London Area Organic Growers website (#9 is Dancey Family Farm)