VIRGINIA-RAISED LAMB, CARROTS, POTATOES, AND HERBS MAKE THIS PUB CLASSIC IRRESISTIBLE, EVEN IF YOU’RE NOT HERDING SHEEP.
As strawberry season draws to an end, we can’t resist sharing this strawberry shortcake recipe. A slightly sweet, buttery biscuit decked out with farm fresh berries and a healthy amount of whipped cream, it is sure to be a hit at your next picnic.
As a kid, one of my prize possessions was a Strawberry Shortcake suitcase. I would pack the suitcase on a regular basis, planning various expeditions to wild, exciting places-the backyard, my friends house, going to see my Pop-Pop. I loved the bright red berries that adorned the case and Shortcake’s hat, the banana yellow handle and piping that surrounded the zipper, her little cucumber (watermelon? )-eared companion, PupCake. The suitcase was probably a hand-me-down from an older cousin but it instigated my love of all things Strawberry Shortcake. I wanted only the Good Humor Strawberry Shortcake ice cream bars at the lunch line, my favorite scented marker was Strawberry Red (remember those? It’s how I made friends my first day of kindergarten). My mom bought me a window box and together we planted strawberry crowns in it and watched them grow, bloom and eventually fruit.
Ingredients
SERVINGS: SERVES 4
- 1½ pounds red potatoes, peeled, rinsed, and quartered
- 2 Tbsp. butter
- 2 Tbsp. milk
- Coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 3 Tbsp. vegetable oil
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 1 carrot, peeled and chopped into ¼-inch slices
- 1 celery stalk, chopped into ¼-inch slices
- 1½ Tbsp. fresh thyme leaves
- 1½ Tbsp. chopped fresh rosemary
- 1 pound ground lamb
- 1 Tbsp. all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup beef or vegetable stock
- Pinch of ground nutmeg
INSTRUCTIONS
- Preheat oven to 425˚F
- Stir strawberries and sugar together in a large bowl. Cover and place in the refrigerator, allowing strawberries time to macerate.
- Make Biscuit Dough: combine flour, salt, sugar and baking powder in a large bowl. Using a pastry cutter, food processor, or knife, cut in or pulse butter until it is the size of small peas.
- Fold in sour cream and heavy cream until a rough dough forms, being careful to not overwork. Turn dough out onto a floured work surface
- Using (floured) hands or a rolling pin (hands work best), flatten dough into a rectangle, approximately ½ thick.
- Using a 3” biscuit cutter, cut dough into discs, being careful not to twist the cutter (this will prevent the biscuits from rising). Reroll the scraps and cut until you have 10 biscuits.
- Place biscuits on a parchment lined baking sheet. Using a pastry brush, brush biscuits with heavy cream and sprinkle with demerara sugar (optional). Bake biscuits for 15-20 minutes until the tops turn golden brown.
- While the biscuits are baking, make the whipped cream. Using a hand held or standing mixer with a whisk attachment, beat cream, sugar and vanilla extract on high speed until medium stiff peaks form.
- Serve: Slice biscuits in half and place on plates. Top bottom halves with strawberries, followed by a generous dollop of whipped cream. Cover with the top half, add a little more berries and enjoy!
