Marcus Samuelsson's Killer Brunch Biscuits

Bacon Biscuits with Jalapeno Scrambled Eggs & Grilled Corn

SERVES 8, with leftover biscuits

I made this for myself for breakfast once and realized it was too good not to serve to friends. Bacony biscuits, loaded with cheese and chives and brushed with maple syrup, next to a bowl of spicy scrambled eggs and grilled corn. Could there be a better brunch? Now I whip up a batch of these whenever we have houseguests and leave the extra biscuits on the counter so my guests can nibble on them whenever they are feeling hungry. I promise you there are never any left at the end of the day.

FOR THE BISCUITS
6 thick-cut slices bacon
3 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 tablespoons baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1 1/4 teaspoons salt
8 tablespoons (1 stick) cold unsalted butter, cut into
1/2-inch cubes, plus 1 tablespoon, melted
1 1/2 cups grated cheddar cheese (6 ounces)
1/2 cup crumbled blue cheese
1/4 cup chopped fresh chives
3/4 cup buttermilk
2 tablespoons maple syrup

FOR THE CORN
4 medium ears corn, cut in half
2 tablespoons olive oil

FOR THE EGGS
4 slices bacon, chopped
3 jalapenos, chopped
12 large eggs
1 cup half and half
Pinch of cayenne
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

MAKE THE BISCUITS
1. Preheat the oven to 425degF. Line a baking sheet with parchment.

2. Cook the bacon in a large skillet over medium heat until it's crisp and brown, about 5 minutes. Transfer to paper towels to absorb the excess fat, then crumble.

3. Combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a food processor and process for 5 seconds. Add the cold butter. Process until the mixture begins to resemble coarse meal, about 30 seconds. Transfer to a large bowl. Add the bacon, cheddar cheese, blue cheese, and chives. Toss to blend. Gradually add the buttermilk, mixing with your hand until the liquid is fully incorporated into the dough.

4. Lightly flour your hands, grab about 1/2 cup of dough, and pat it into a rough round. Put the biscuit on the baking sheet. Continue with the remaining dough, placing the biscuits 2 inches apart on the baking sheet.

5. Bake the biscuits until they are golden and a knife inserted into center comes out clean, 18 to 20 minutes. Combine the melted butter and maple syrup and lightly brush on the biscuits.

GRILL THE CORN
6. Preheat a gas grill to high.

7. Brush the corn with the olive oil, put it on the grill, and cook until the corn is caramelized and some of the kernels have popped, 10 to 15 minutes, turning every 5 minutes.

MAKE THE EGGS
8. Cook the bacon in a large skillet over medium-high heat until it starts to brown, about 5 minutes. Add one of the chopped jalapenos and saute until the jalapeno is tender and the edges are brown, about 4 minutes.

9. Beat together the eggs, half and half, and the remaining jalapenos. Season with cayenne, and salt and pepper to taste. Pour into the skillet with the bacon and turn the heat down to low. Cook, scraping the eggs across the bottom of the skillet to make large curds, until the eggs are cooked but still moist, about 5 minutes.

10. Serve the biscuits warm or at room temperature, split and topped with the scrambled eggs and a piece of corn per person.

Excerpted from MARCUS OFF DUTY: THE RECIPES I COOK AT HOME (c) 2014 by Marcus Samuelsson. Reproduced by permission of Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. All rights reserved.