Tomato Scallion Shortcakes with Whipped Goat Cheese

These are a perfect summer dinner. We used tomatoes from the Farmer's Market (mix of large and small). So good! The recipe has three separate components but it's a pretty easy recipe. Adapted from...surprise, surprise, Smitten Kitchen.

Yield: 6-8 shortcakes

Ingredients:

SCALLION BISCUITS
2 cups plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons baking powder
3/4 teaspoon table salt
5 tablespoons unsalted butter, chilled, cut into 1/4-inch pieces
1 scallion, thinly sliced
1 cup milk

TOMATO SALAD
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 1/2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1/8 teaspoon salt
pinch of sugar
freshly ground black pepper
1/2 pound cherry or grape tomatoes (mixed colors, if you can find them)

TOPPINGS
3 tablespoons plain greek yogurt or cream cheese
4 ounces goat cheese, softened
greens from 2 scallions, thinly sliced

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 425. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silpat. Whisk the flour, baking powder, and salt together in a large, wide bowl. Using your fingertips or a pastry blender, cut the butter into the dry ingredients until the mixture resembles coarse meal. Stir in the scallion. Add the milk and stir until evenly moistened.

2. Drop dough into rounds on the baking sheet. Pat out dough to 3/4- to 1-inch thickness. Arrange the biscuits on the parchment-lined baking sheet, spacing 2 inches apart. Bake until they are golden brown on top, for about 15 minutes.

3. Whisk together the olive oil, red wine vinegar, salt, sugar, and pepper in the bottom of a bowl. Quarter the tomatoes lengthwise and add them to the bowl with the dressing, tossing them together gently.

4. In a separate bowl use an electric mixer to whip together the yogurt/cream cheese and goat cheese. Beat until light and fluffy.

5. To assemble the shortcakes, split each warm biscuit in half (I used a bread knife to cut them). Generously spoon each half with the tomato salad and its dressing. Dollop with whipped goat cheese and sprinkle with scallion-green slivers. Eat at once.

Pickled Peaches 

Ingredients

• 6 peaches
• 2-3 cups of water
• 1 cup red wine vinegar
• 1/2 cup red wine
• 1/4 cup honey
• 1 teaspoon peppercorns
• 8 cloves
• 1 stick cinnamon
• 2 bay leaves

Directions

1. To peel the peaches, make an "X" slit on the bottom of the peach, and then lower them a few at a time into boiling water for a minute or so, and immediately refresh them in a bath of ice water. When cool, use a paring knife to remove the skins, which should come off easily.
2. Cut the peaches in half and remove the pits. If you have cling peaches (rather than free-stone), the flesh won't slip away from the pit to make nice halves, so you'll need to cut the fruit off the pit.  I prefer my pickled peaches in slices rather than halves.
3. To make the pickling solution, combine the water, vinegar, wine, honey, peppercorns, cloves, , cinnamon and bay leaf in a heavy-bottomed pot or saucepan. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer for 5 minutes.
4. Add the peach segments and cook just until tender, 3 to 5 minutes.  (Make sure the peaches are cooked through or they will turn brown.) 
5. Gently drain the peaches in a colander, reserving the pickling liquid.  
6. Carefully pick out cloves, bay leaves, cinnamon, etc.
7. Let the pickling mixture cool slightly and then pour it over the peaches. 
8. Cover and refrigerate overnight or for up to a week.

adapted from a recipe by Chef Alice Waters