The Goldfinch Me When I Was Little

Pippa’s Blueberry Biscuits (“Where’s Hobie?” I said. I wasn’t asking because I cared, but because it was a little too good to be true to be alone in the house with her, and a little frightening too. “Oh—“ she rolled her eyes—“he insisted on going to the bakery. I told him not to bother but you know how he gets. He likes to get me those blueberry biscuits that Mama and Welty used to buy The Goldfinch me when I was little. Can’t believe they even make them any more—they don’t have them every day, he says. Sure you don’t want some coffee?” - “The Goldfinch”) by Donna Tartt Makes 10-12 3″ Biscuits Ingredients: 1 c. pastry flour 2 tbsp. baking powder 1 tsp. baking soda 1 1/2 tsp. kosher salt 3 tbsp. sugar 1/2 c. (1 stick) unsalted butter, cut into roughly 1/2 inch cubes 3 c. all-purpose flour 1 1/2 c. buttermilk 2 c. fresh blueberries (or frozen and thawed) Topping: 1/4 c. sugar SNACKS zest of 1 lemon 1 egg + a splash of cream or milk Instructions In a large bowl, whisk together pastry flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and sugar and toss in your cubed butter. Put this mixture in the freezer for about twenty minutes, or until the butter is solid. & Once your butter is frozen, throw the butter/flour mixture into the bowl of a food- processor and pulse until the butter is in pea-sized chunks. Throw this mixture back into the large bowl it was formerly in and sift in your 3 cups of all purpose flour, tossing the mixture gently until the butter is uniformly spread throughout the flour. Add buttermilk and mix with your hands until the dough just comes together, then gently knead the blueberries in. Turn dough out onto a lightly-floured surface and roll to about 1″ thick. Cut with a 3″ circle SIPS cutter and place on 2 parchment-lined sheet-trays, making sure there is space between each biscuit. Put the biscuits in the freezer for 20 minutes while you pre-heat your oven to 400F and make the topping. While your biscuits are getting nice and chilled, pre-heat your oven to 400F. To make the topping: Whisk the egg and milk together and set aside. In a small bowl, rub lemon zest and sugar together with your fingertips to release the oil, then mix the zest to evenly distribute it throughout. After about twenty minutes, take your biscuits out of the freezer, brush them with the egg wash, and sprinkle the lemon-sugar on top (you may have extra left over). Bake for about 25 minutes, or until they are deeply golden-brown. I ate mine with butter and jam, and also some good ricotta. (Source: Deliciousreads.com, 2016) Welsh Rarebit - or Hobie’s Cheese on Toast Spaghetti Carbonara (“The plate of food, when he set it before me, was nothing to look at—puffy yellow stuff (“I sat on the floor with my back against the side of his dresser, counting silently to my- on toast. But it smelled good. Cautiously, I tasted it. It was melted cheese, with chopped- self: this time only three days ago she was alive, this time four days, a week. In my mind I up tomato and cayenne pepper and some other things I couldn’t figure out, and it was went over all the meals we’d eaten in the days leading up to her death: our last visit to delicious.” - “The Goldfinch”) the Greek diner, our last visit to Shun Lee Palace, the last dinner she’d cooked for me [spaghetti carbonara]. “ - “The Goldfinch”) Makes 4 servings Ingredients Ingredients 2 tbsp. unsalted butter 2 tbsp. olive oil 2 tbsp. all-purpose flour 2 tbsp. unsalted butter 1 tbsp. mustard powder ¼ lb. thinly-sliced guanciale or pancetta (if you can’t find either a mild bacon will work ½ tsp. cayenne pepper (or to taste) just fine) cut into small cubes (about ½ inch) ½ tsp. freshly-cracked black pep- 1 ½ tsp. freshly cracked black pepper per (or to taste) 2 c. finely grated good quality parmesan ¾ c.ale or porter 1 large egg plus 3 large egg yolks 2 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce salt to taste ½ lb. sharp cheddar, shredded 1 lb. spaghetti ½ lb. gruyere cheese, shredded 4 large slices of crusty bread Instructions Heat olive oil and butter in a medium saucepan until butter is melted and add your pork Instructions (guanciale, pancetta or bacon). Cook over medium heat until lightly crisp and brown, Melt your butter in a large heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch-oven and add flour. Whisk stirring occasionally—about 8 minutes. Add pepper and cook about 3 more minutes, or constantly over medium-low heat until your roux is toasty-brown and smells fragrant until you can really smell the peppercorns. Let this mixture cool slightly then transfer it to and biscuit-like. Add mustard powder, cayenne, and black pepper and whisk until a very large bowl and whisk in 1½ cups parmesan, eggs and egg yolks (bowl should be smooth. Add beer and Worcestershire and whisk until there are no clumps before large enough to toss cooked pasta in later). Set aside. Bring a large pot of salty water to a adding your cheese. Add the cheese and stir constantly until it’s smooth. Remove boil and cook your spaghetti until al-dente—usually about 8-10 minutes. Reserve ¾ of a from heat and set aside to roast your cherry tomatoes (recipe follows) and lightly cup of the pasta water and drain the rest of the water out. Toss spaghetti in bowl with toast your bread. Once your bread is lightly toasted and your tomatoes are roasted, egg yolk/parmesan mixture. Slowly add the reserved pasta water, tossing and mixing to spread your cheese-sauce in a thick layer on top of your toast, place it on a create a thick, creamy sauce. Season with salt and pepper to taste and garnish with sheet-pan lined with tinfoil and place it under the broiler for about 2 minutes, or remaining ½ cup of parmesan. until cheese is bubbly and lightly-browned. Roasted Cherry Tomatoes 1 pint cherry tomatoes Olive oil Kosher salt Freshly-cracked black pepper Instructions Pre-heat oven to 400F. Spread cherry tomatoes on a baking sheet lined with tinfoil and sprinkle with olive oil, salt and pepper. Roast 15-20 minutes, or until skin begins to shed and tomatoes are soft. Crush the tomatoes with the back of a fork before spreading them on top of your cheese-toast. (Source: Deliciousreads.com, 2016) (Source: Deliciousreads.com, 2016) .

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