roasted tomato scones with bacon jam

scones are kinda gross on their own, amiright? even with herbs and stuff mixed in, they’re too dry and crumbly to eat without some sort of filling or sauce. i decided to stuff these with a gloppy, viscous bacon jam and over easy eggs. the yolk soaks into the scone, adding moisture and richness, and the sweet n salty jam provides layers of flavor.

try to use tomatoes that are still on the stalk! colorful heirloom ones in shades of gold and green would be spec tac u lar.

scones

• 3 large tomatoes
• olive oil
• salt and pepper
• 3 cups flour
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 2 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 3/4 tsp kosher salt
• 3/4 cup butter (1 1/2 sticks), cold, cut into small chunks
• 3 tbsp fresh thyme, finely chopped
• 1 1/4 cups buttermilk
• 1/4 cup heavy cream

bacon jam (recipe from how sweet eats)

• 1 pound bacon, chopped
• 1/4 cup diced onion
• 1 tsp smoked paprika
• salt and pepper
• 3 tablespoons brown sugar (light or dark)
• 1 cup bourbon
• 2 cups chicken stock
• 1 tbsp butter

to roast the tomatoes, preheat the oven to 400º and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. put the tomatoes on the sheet and drizzle with olive oil, then season with salt and pepper. roast for about 10 minutes, or until the skins start to blister and come off. let cool, then peel and roughly chop. set aside. lower the oven’s temperature to 350º and line another baking sheet with parchment. in a large bowl, combine the flour, baking soda and powder, and salt. using your hands, incorporate the butter into the dry ingredients until the mixture has the consistency of fine breadcrumbs (it’s okay to have a few bigger chunks of butter). add the tomatoes and thyme and stir gently. make a well in the center of the mixture and pour in the buttermilk. still using your hands, mix just until combined (do not knead!). turn onto a floured surface and bring the dough together. gently pat it into a fat disk, 1-2 inches thick. transfer to the baking sheet. using a knife or pizza cutter, make 3 indentations to form 6 scones (don’t cut all the way through). brush the tops of the scones with the heavy cream and then bake for 20-25 minutes.

for the bacon jam, heat a large dutch oven over medium heat and add the bacon. cook until the fat has started to render and a few pieces of the bacon are crispy. stir in the onion, paprika, salt and pepper and cook for 5 minutes. stir in the brown sugar and cook for another minute or so. stream in 3/4 cup bourbon and 1/2 cup of chicken stock, stirring with a wooden spoon to release any bits of flavor from the bottom of the pot. simmer the mixture, stirring occasionally, until the liquid has evaporated and the mixture has thickened (about 10 minutes). stir in the remaining bourbon and 1 cup of stock, stirring and cooking for 10 more minutes or until evaporated. add the last of the chicken stock. blend with an immersion blender, or transfer the mixture to a blender and blend until pureéd. cook for another 10 minutes until it has cooked down a bit more and thickened. taste and add more salt and pepper if needed. stir in the butter.

to assemble, split a scone down the middle, pile with bacon jam, and top with an over easy egg. smush on the top and watch the yolk run!!