Tomato Cobbler with Cheddar Chive Biscuit Crust
Inspired by Martha Stewart's Tomato Cobbler recipe
2 - 3 Tbs olive oil
2 medium white or yellow onions, 1/4" slices
3/8 tsp baking soda, divided
4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
3 pounds cherry or large grape tomatoes
2 cups + 3 Tbs unbleached all-purpose flour, divided
1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
3/4 tsp kosher salt, divided
Fresh ground black pepper to taste
2 tsp baking powder
1 stick (1/2 cup) cold unsalted butter, cut into small chunks
3 oz sharp cheddar cheese, finely shredded
1/4 cup snipped fresh chives
1 1/2 cups buttermilk
Preheat oven to 375°F. Lightly spray a 2-qt capacity casserole dish with oil, place on a parchment or foil-lined rimmed baking sheet and set aside.
Heat 2 - 3 Tbs oil in a medium skillet until warm (not hot) and add onions. Stir to coat well with oil, then add 1/8 tsp baking soda and toss again. Cook over medium heat, tossing or stirring occasionally, until caramelized, about 25 minutes. Stir in the sliced garlic and continue to cook until the garlic is fragrant, about 2 - 3 minutes.
Stir in 3 Tbs all-purpose flour, crushed red pepper flakes black pepper to taste and 1/2 tsp kosher salt with the onions and their liquid to form a paste. Cook for another minute, stirring gently, then remove from the heat and stir in the tomatoes, mixing well. Immediately transfer the tomato mixture to the prepared casserole.
While the onions are caramelizing, prepare the cheddar chive biscuit crust. Whisk together the flour, baking powder, 1/4 tsp baking soda and 1/2 tsp kosher salt. Snip the chives and stir into the flour mixture until incorporated. Add the cheddar cheese and sift through with your fingers to coat cheese strands well with flour, avoiding any large clumps of cheese.
When the tomato filling has been prepared, make a well in the center of the flour mixture and pour in the buttermilk. Fold just until dough is consistent with no dry or wet patches. Drop by Tablespoonfuls or use an ice cream scoop to drop biscuits all around the perimeter of the cobbler, leaving the center open. Excess biscuit dough can be dropped on a parchment-lined baking sheet for "spare" biscuits.
Bake at 375°F for 1 hour and 10 minutes, or until fragrant, bubbling and the biscuits are a deep golden cheesy color. Remove from the oven and let rest for 10 minutes before serving. If desired, brush the tops of the biscuits with good-quality extra virgin olive oil and sprinkle with sea or kosher salt when fresh out of the oven.
Note: Cherry tomatoes fresh out of the oven are firebombs. Do not skip the cooling period before serving the cobbler.
Martha's original recipe used heavy cream in the biscuits and Gruyere cheese, which would no doubt be delicious, but I felt better about using buttermilk and I had sharp cheddar on hand.
Other cheese and herb combinations would work equally well, such as Parmigiano Reggiano and rosemary, or feta and basil, Swiss and dill, or jack and jalapeño. If using a particularly salty cheese, like feta, reduce the salt in the biscuit mix.
2 - 3 Tbs olive oil
2 medium white or yellow onions, 1/4" slices
3/8 tsp baking soda, divided
4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
3 pounds cherry or large grape tomatoes
2 cups + 3 Tbs unbleached all-purpose flour, divided
1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
3/4 tsp kosher salt, divided
Fresh ground black pepper to taste
2 tsp baking powder
1 stick (1/2 cup) cold unsalted butter, cut into small chunks
3 oz sharp cheddar cheese, finely shredded
1/4 cup snipped fresh chives
1 1/2 cups buttermilk
Preheat oven to 375°F. Lightly spray a 2-qt capacity casserole dish with oil, place on a parchment or foil-lined rimmed baking sheet and set aside.
Heat 2 - 3 Tbs oil in a medium skillet until warm (not hot) and add onions. Stir to coat well with oil, then add 1/8 tsp baking soda and toss again. Cook over medium heat, tossing or stirring occasionally, until caramelized, about 25 minutes. Stir in the sliced garlic and continue to cook until the garlic is fragrant, about 2 - 3 minutes.
Stir in 3 Tbs all-purpose flour, crushed red pepper flakes black pepper to taste and 1/2 tsp kosher salt with the onions and their liquid to form a paste. Cook for another minute, stirring gently, then remove from the heat and stir in the tomatoes, mixing well. Immediately transfer the tomato mixture to the prepared casserole.
While the onions are caramelizing, prepare the cheddar chive biscuit crust. Whisk together the flour, baking powder, 1/4 tsp baking soda and 1/2 tsp kosher salt. Snip the chives and stir into the flour mixture until incorporated. Add the cheddar cheese and sift through with your fingers to coat cheese strands well with flour, avoiding any large clumps of cheese.
When the tomato filling has been prepared, make a well in the center of the flour mixture and pour in the buttermilk. Fold just until dough is consistent with no dry or wet patches. Drop by Tablespoonfuls or use an ice cream scoop to drop biscuits all around the perimeter of the cobbler, leaving the center open. Excess biscuit dough can be dropped on a parchment-lined baking sheet for "spare" biscuits.
Bake at 375°F for 1 hour and 10 minutes, or until fragrant, bubbling and the biscuits are a deep golden cheesy color. Remove from the oven and let rest for 10 minutes before serving. If desired, brush the tops of the biscuits with good-quality extra virgin olive oil and sprinkle with sea or kosher salt when fresh out of the oven.
Note: Cherry tomatoes fresh out of the oven are firebombs. Do not skip the cooling period before serving the cobbler.
Martha's original recipe used heavy cream in the biscuits and Gruyere cheese, which would no doubt be delicious, but I felt better about using buttermilk and I had sharp cheddar on hand.
Other cheese and herb combinations would work equally well, such as Parmigiano Reggiano and rosemary, or feta and basil, Swiss and dill, or jack and jalapeño. If using a particularly salty cheese, like feta, reduce the salt in the biscuit mix.
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