Ingredients

  • 1 pound sweet potatoes (2 to 3 potatoes)
  • 2 tablespoons buttermilk
  • 1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
  • 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, plus extra for dusting
  • 3 tablespoons brown sugar
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
  • 3/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1 1/2 sticks cold butter, small diced
  • 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
  • 2 tablespoons butter, melted and slightly cooled
  • 14 slices honey baked ham (or your favorite ham), torn into pieces to fit the biscuits
  • Blackberry Balsamic Drizzle, recipe follows
  • Arugula, for serving
  • Special equipment: 2 1/4-inch round biscuit cutter.
  • One 12 to 13-ounce jar blackberry preserves
  • 1 cup packed fresh basil leaves, stems and all
  • 1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
  • 1/4 cup yellow mustard, such as French's
  • 1 teaspoon whole black peppercorns
  • 1 serrano chile, split in half

Method

  • For the biscuits: Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Poke the sweet potatoes with the tines of a fork and bake until tender, about 1 hour.
  • Let the potatoes cool, and then peel them, discarding the skins.
  • In a food processor, puree the potatoes with the buttermilk and nutmeg until smooth.
  • Whisk together the flour, sugar, baking soda and salt.
  • With your fingertips or a dough cutter, cut in the cold butter until pea-size chunks are formed.
  • Fold in the sweet potato puree until just combined, being careful not to overwork.
  • Dust a work surface with some flour and turn the biscuit dough onto the counter.
  • Form the dough into a 3/4-inch-thick disc.
  • Using a 2 1/4-inch round biscuit cutter, cut out 14 biscuits, starting on the outside of the disk and working your way in.
  • You may need to reshape the last bits of dough back into a disk to get all 14 rounds.
  • Grease a 10-inch cast-iron skillet with the vegetable oil and place the biscuits in the skillet, working from the center out.
  • The biscuits should be a tight fit and nestled against each other.
  • Brush the biscuit tops with the melted butter and bake until golden, 15 to 18 minutes.
  • For the sandwich build: Split the hot biscuits, place some of the torn ham on the bottom half, drizzle the Blackberry Balsamic Drizzle over the ham and then pile some arugula on top for a peppery bite.
  • Combine the preserves, basil, vinegar, mustard, peppercorns and chile in a medium saucepot on the stove.
  • Set over medium heat.
  • Simmer the sauce until thickened, 7 to 10 minutes.
  • Strain the reduction through a fine sieve.
  • Thin with water if needed.