Art Smith's Goat Cheese Biscuits Reinvented

Goat cheese excites me. 

It excites me to the point that if I see something on a restaurant menu that contains the creamy, silky, tart goodness, I look no further and order that item.  It doesn't matter if it's the first of 100 items to chose from ~ it's going on my plate.  Undoubtedly, some variety of the cheese ends up in my grocery cart each week regardless if it's priced at $50/lb.  A recipe containing goat cheese?  It's going to the top of my "To Do" list.

Crazy I know, to get so excited about cheese.

When I found a recipe for Art Smith's (who was Oprah's personal chef for awhile) Goat Cheese Drop Biscuits that are served in his Table Fifty-Two Chicago restaurant I was, well.....very excited. The combination of made-from-scratch buttermilk biscuits and goat cheese was enough to send me to the moon. But as with anything we put upon a pedestal and worship, it is bound to fail at some point.

I expected these biscuits to be oozing with warm goat cheese when I tore into them. I expected to teeter on the edge of goat cheese heaven but I was sorely disappointed when I made them per Art's recipe. It was a biscuit and nothing more.  Not the least bit exciting. 

Most times I don't give a recipe a second chance ~ I am of the opinion that there are too many recipes to try and too little time.  But I couldn't give up on my beloved goat cheese.  I revamped the recipe with some add-ins and while the goat cheese still was not very prominent, the biscuits had much more flavor and became something that I would certainly make again.  They were best right out of the oven, sliced open with a pat of softened butter smooshed right in the middle. 

Goat Cheese Drop Biscuits
Inspired by Chef Art Smith
Makes 12-14 biscuits

2 cups self-rising flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
2 ounces cold butter
4 ounces goat cheese
3 strips bacon, cooked and finally chopped (or prosciutto)
3 Tbsp. chopped fresh parsley (or chives)
1 cup buttermilk
extra butter to grease pan and top biscuits
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 400. Place one 10" cast iron pan into the oven while it is preheating. Place flour, salt, baking soda and baking powder into a medium-sized bowl. Cut in the butter and goat cheese. Add bacon (or prosciutto) and parsley (or chives).  Make a well in the middle of the ingredients and pour in the milk. Stir until mix is moistened, adding an extra tablespoon of milk if needed.

Remove the hot skillet from the oven and place a tablespoon of butter into it. When the butter has melted, drop 1/4 cupsful of batter into the pan (use a muffin scoop to drop the batter if you have one).  Bake for 12-14 minutes until browned on the top and bottom. Remove from oven, brush the tops of the biscuits with melted butter and sprinkle with the grated cheese. Return to the oven for about a minute to give the cheese a chance to melt.  Enjoy warm!