Cheddar Cayenne Gravy (Print Version)

# Ingredients:

→ Biscuits with Cheddar and Heat

01 - 2 1/2 cups of plain flour
02 - 1 tablespoon of white sugar
03 - 1 tablespoon of leavening powder
04 - A half-teaspoon of fine sea salt
05 - 2 teaspoons of garlicky seasoning
06 - 1 teaspoon of smoky paprika
07 - Optional: 1/2 teaspoon cayenne for a kick
08 - 113g of unsalted butter, melted and cooled down
09 - 1 cup of buttermilk, nice and cold
10 - 1 cup of sharp cheddar cheese, grated
11 - 1 tablespoon of chopped fresh chives

→ Gravy with Sausage and Add-Ins

12 - 4 thick pieces of diced bacon
13 - 450g of ground breakfast sausage (pork)
14 - 1 tablespoon of unsalted butter
15 - 1 finely chopped large shallot
16 - 225g of thinly sliced baby bella mushrooms
17 - 2 crushed or minced garlic cloves
18 - Salt and pepper, as you like
19 - 1/2 teaspoon of dried sage leaves
20 - 1/2 teaspoon of smoked red paprika
21 - 2 tablespoons of concentrated tomato paste
22 - 3 tablespoons of common flour
23 - 60ml of chicken broth
24 - 500ml of milk
25 - 2 tablespoons of freshly chopped chives for topping

# Instructions:

01 - Turn your oven to 230°C (450°F). Grab a big mixing bowl and stir the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, garlic powder, paprika, and cayenne until thoroughly combined.
02 - In a measuring jug, blend the melted butter with the cold buttermilk using a fork until you see some clumps forming. Pour this mixture over the dry ingredients, and finally add the cheddar and chives.
03 - Mix the whole thing with a fork until you can work it by hand. Dump it onto a lightly dusted surface and knead gently until it just holds together. Slice the dough in half, restack, and press down again until it's about 1.25cm thick.
04 - Use a round cutter, 6.5cm across, to punch out eight biscuit rounds. Lay them on a parchment-covered baking tray, bake for 10-12 minutes, and pull them out when lightly golden on top.
05 - Cook diced bacon in a large pan over medium-high heat until crispy. Turn the heat off, drain the bacon on paper towels, and keep a thin coating of grease in the pan.
06 - Reheat the skillet on medium-high and break up the sausage as it cooks. Stir often until all the pink is gone. Sprinkle on salt and pepper as you'd like.
07 - Scoot the sausage to one side. Drop in butter and toss in the shallot, mushrooms, and garlic. Let them sauté for a couple of minutes, then mix back with the sausage. Add more seasoning and continue cooking until the mushrooms soften, about 5-8 minutes.
08 - Blend the tomato paste completely into the pan. Stir in the flour bit by bit until you no longer see it dry. Cook it like this for a minute, which helps tone down the rawness.
09 - Pour chicken broth into your skillet, scraping to loosen everything, then stir in milk. Keep stirring at medium heat until it thickens, about 8-10 minutes. Add more milk if it's too thick. Adjust salt and pepper to taste.
10 - Take two biscuits per plate and pile on a big spoonful of gravy. Sprinkle the crispy bacon and chives on top, and serve warm.

# Notes:

01 - Don't overwork your biscuit dough! Handle it gently for better fluffiness.
02 - For heat lovers, toss in red pepper flakes while cooking the veggies.

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