SOURDOUGH BISCUITS

Makes 12 to 14 biscuits I add ¼ cup chopped green onions and ½ teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper to the batter when I am serving the biscuits with bowls of chili. Increase the sugar to 2 tablespoons when serving the biscuits for breakfast or dessert.

Put ½ cup warm water (105 to 115 degrees) in the bottom of a small bowl. Add the yeast and a generous pinch of sugar; stir and let stand until foamy, 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in ½ cup of the flour. Cover and let stand at room temperature overnight (or up to about 24 hours).

Butter a 9- or 10-inch well-seasoned cast-iron skillet. Scrape the sourdough starter into a large bowl. Stir in 5 tablespoons melted butter, salt, ½ teaspoon sugar, baking powder and baking soda. Stir in the remaining 1¾ cups flour and gently mix to make a soft dough. Work the dough gently; it’s OK if it’s shaggy-looking.

Transfer the dough to a lightly floured work surface. Gently pat or roll to ½-inch thickness. Using a 2-inch round cutter, cut dough into 12 to 14 rounds. (Be gentle when re-rolling dough scraps.) Place the rounds in the buttered pan (it’s OK if they touch). Cover with a towel and let rise about 1 hour.

Heat oven to 425 degrees. Brush the tops of the biscuits with the remaining 1 tablespoon melted butter. Bake until golden and firm to the touch, about 20 minutes. Serve warm with soft butter and the compote.

121 calories, 2 g protein, 1 g fiber, 16 g carbohydrates, 1 g sugar, 5 g fat (3 g saturated), 13 mg cholesterol, 166 mg sodium