Yes, I Am Going to Scarborough Fair

There’s nothing like a rainy NYC Tuesday to get you in the mood to do some baking.  And so I present to you my first savory cookie: the Scarborough Fair.

Yes, this cookie has parsley, sage, rosemary, and thyme. Well, actually, there is no rosemary because I’m not a huge fan of it and because I could find neither fresh nor dried rosemary at the grocery store. (Knowing my grocery store, though, the rosemary is probably stocked with the baby food…or may Holling grabbed the last sprig.) If you are so inclined, feel free to add a teaspoon of rosemary to this recipe, but I think any more than that small amount would be overpowering.

Because this is a savory cookie, I used both grated Parmesan and shredded mozzarella instead of sugar, and I used olive oil to replace the vanilla. Fresh herbs and a fair amount of ground black pepper take the place of standard mix-ins like chocolate chips or dried fruits. And I used baking powder instead of my usual baking soda to lift the cheesy dough.

The result is a flavorful and flaky morsel that straddles the cookie/biscuit texture line and that tastes like a cheese straw. In other words: yummy. I must admit that I was crossing my fingers with this one. They dough balls didn’t really spread or flatten during baking, which really worried me. But it took only one bite to allay my fears. These would be great served warm with butter and a hearty meal. Makes about 2 1/2 dozen.

Creamables	1 stick butter 1 cup grated Parmesan 1 cup shredded mozzarella
Wet Ingredients	1 egg 1/4 cup olive oil
Dry Ingredients	1 3/4 cups oatmeal 1 1/4 cups flour 2 tablespoons roughly chopped flat leaf parsley 1 tablespoon fresh thyme 2 teaspoons roughly chopped fresh sage 1 teaspoon ground black pepper 1 teaspoon baking powder 1/2 teaspoon salt

1. Preheat oven to 350º.
2. In your Kitchen Aid or a large mixing bowl, cream together the creamables.
3. In a small bowl, combine the wet ingredients and whisk together until smooth.
4. Add the combined wet ingredients to the creamables. Mix together until well incorporated.
5. In a large mixing bowl, add the dry ingredients. Using a spatula, fold together until evenly distributed.
6. Slowly add the dry ingredients to the combined creamables and wet ingredients. Mix until evenly combined.
7. Shape dough into balls--about 2 tablespoons each.
8. Place dough balls about 2 inches apart on Silpat- or parchment paper-lined cookie sheets.
9. Bake at 350º for 10-12 minutes or until golden brown. Remove the cookie sheets from the oven and let stand for 2 minutes. Then place cookies on wire racks to cool.

Comments

[Mumma]

Omigod, you have really outdone yourself on these! They sound absolutely scrumptious. My mouth is watering! These could easily replace the Italian bread with pasta. YUM!!

[Lorraine]

These do really sound great!! A new novel idea to add to the bread basket at dinner. I see this in the future at some of the creative restaurants in NY!

[Oatmeal Cookie Guy]

Jon and I were talking this morning about how these cookie/biscuits reminded us of something we've had before. And I got a flash: the cheesy biscuts at Red Lobster. Yes, even we NYC folk enjoy a meal at a CDR (casual dining restaurant) every once in a while!