CHEESY BUTTERNUT SQUASH & CARAMELIZED ONION BISCUITS

Recipe from The Leek & The Carrot
 
Makes 18-20 large biscuits
Takes 45 minutes (plus more if baking some for yourself right away)

Ingredients:
17 tablespoons butter, divided
4 cups butternut squash cut into 1/2-inch cubes (from 1 large squash)
1 tablespoons olive oil
3 pink blush onions, peeled and diced (about 3 cups)
1-1/2 teaspoon Kosher salt, divided
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons + 1/2 teaspoon sugar, divided
5-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
4 teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoons baking soda
2 cups mozzarella, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
2 cups buttermilk

Directions:

  1. Remove 1 tablespoon butter and set it to the side for caramelizing your onions. Cube the remaining butter and pop it into the fridge until ready to use.

  2. Put cubed squash into a medium sauce pan and cover with water. Bring mixture to a boil over high heat and boil for 15 minutes until squash is soft but not falling apart. Drain and rinse with cold water. Set aside.

  3. While your squash cooks, begin your caramelized onions. Combine remaining tablespoon butter and olive oil in a large sauce pan. Heat over medium high heat until butter is completely melted. Reduce heat to medium and add your onions along with 1/2 teaspoon salt and pepper. Saute for 15-18 minutes, stirring often, until they begin to brown. Add 1/2 teaspoon sugar and continue caramelizing for 5 minutes until golden brown throughout. Pour into a small bowl and pop into the freezer.

  4. Now begin your biscuits! Combine flour, remaining salt, remaining sugar, baking powder and baking soda in a large bowl. Add cold cubed butter from the fridge. Cut it in with a pastry blender, two forks or your fingers. You want uneven pieces of butter throughout flour mixture. Just keep breaking up any pieces of butter any bigger than a pea, but being careful not to let the butter warm too much. If using your fingers, work very quickly.

  5. Add cooled squash and cubed mozzarella to the flour butter mixture. Stir to combine.

  6. Remove onions from the freezer and add buttermilk. Stir until combined. Pour over biscuit mixture. Stir to combine as best you can. Yes, it will seem dry. Yes, it will get sticky. Once you have incorporated as much as you can with a spoon, turn onto the counter and knead gently to get it all to come together. It’s okay if there are some dry areas throughout.

  7. Once the dough has come together, lightly flour the counter then roll out biscuit batter to an inch thick. Cut out biscuits and place on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet with a little space in between. Pop in the freezer until solid (likely overnight) and then pop into Ziploc (gift)bags the next morning. Label and include instructions for baking (↓)

  8. Frozen biscuits take 18-20 minutes at 400 degrees to bake (or until deeply golden brown). Non-frozen biscuits (you know for snacking the day you make these goodies) bake a bit faster; it will be closer to 15-18 minutes.

Onion, Winter SquashBethanee WrightComment