Chef Nina Compton’s biscuits are like a blank canvas just waiting to be dressed up with all the fixings. At her downtown New Orleans restaurant Compère Lapin, the biscuits are typically served with ricotta cheese and seasonal jam or gravy and poached eggs over brunch. Learn how to make her signature recipe in your home kitchen. Fresh herbs and dried fruit can also be incorporated depending on which flavor you’re going for. With just a handful of ingredients, this versatile recipe is the perfect place to start when it comes to planning a weekend brunch. And to give your brunch even more punch, check out Chef Nina’s specially curated playlist for optimal baking.

Nina Compton’s Biscuits

Yields 25

Ingredients:

  • 2/3 cup baking powder 
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 1/4 cup salt
  • 5 cups all purpose flour
  • 2.5 cups shortening
  • 5 cups buttermilk

Directions:

  • Chill the shortening for 30 mins.
  • Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. 
  • Combine all the dry ingredients together, using your hands incorporate the shortening by breaking it up into the size of a cranberry. Slowly add the buttermilk and mix until incorporated.
  • Wrap the container and chill for 30 mins. 
  • Place on a floured surface and roll the dough out to 2½ inch thickness and cut into 2 ½ by 2 ½ inches, then bake for 18 mins.