This recipe is perfect for the kind of holiday weekend when you don't mind waking up early and spending a couple of hours in the kitchen on breakfast.

You might feel tempted to skip making your own poblano powder, but we promise it's worth it– the biscuits are light and fluffy and the sweetness from maple syrup perfectly balances the heat of the chilis. It's an ideal foil for  the maple jalapeño sausages from the artisanal charcuterie makers at Jacuterie. 

GRAVY

• 1 package Jacuterie Maple Jalapeño Sausage
• 15g (1 tbsp) + 30g (2 tbsp) butter, separated
• 200g (3/4c + 2tsp) + 300g (1 ¼ c) milk, separated
• 25g (2 tbsp + 2 ¼ tsp) all-purpose flour
• Salt
• Pepper
• Rose vinegar

PREPARATION

FOR THE POBLANO POWDER

1. Using gloves and a paring knife, cut the poblanos open in half and cut out the white pith, seeds, and stem (unless you want it really spicy).

2. Lay peppers skin side down on a sheet pan lined with a silicone baking mat or parchment paper. Set oven at 180F, place the pan in the oven, shut the oven door and allow the peppers to dehydrate overnight (8-10 hours).

3. Once cooled completely, grind the whole peppers in spice grinder or blender. This poblano powder can be stored for many months in a sealed jar and is a nice way to get chili flavor into things like eggs, etc. without getting chili on your cutting board.

FOR THE BISCUITS

1. Position a rack in the upper third of the oven, then preheat the oven to 400F. Line a half sheet pan with a silicone baking mat or parchment paper. Dust a work surface with flour.
2. Stir together the flour, cornmeal, baking powder, poblano powder and salt in a large bowl. Add the butter, tossing the pieces to coat them in the flour mixture. Working quickly and using just your fingertips, squeeze the pieces of butter until flattened while continuing to toss them in the flour, then break the pieces up a bit more. Pour in the buttermilk and maple syrup.Using a plastic bowl scraper, fold the flour mixture over the milk a few times to combine, just until the mixture has almost come together; the dough might be slightly shaggy at this point.
3. Using the plastic bowl scraper, turn the dough out onto the work surface. Bring together then flatten with a plastic bowl scraper. Gently pat the dough out until about 1 inch thick. Using the scraper and your hands, fold the dough into thirds. Repeat the folding until the dough is firm, but not tough.
4. Press the dough into a 4x12 inch rectangle about 1 inch thick. Using a bench scraper, cut the dough into eight equal squares (two rows of four). Using a spatula, transfer the biscuits to the lined pan and brush with buttermilk.
5. Bake, rotating the pan about two-thirds of the way through baking, until golden brown, about 18 minutes.
6. The biscuits are best if eaten within 1 hour of baking, but once completely cooled they can be stored (uncut) in a paper bag or cardboard box for up to 24 hours.

FOR THE GRAVY

1. Heat 15g of butter in a cast iron skillet. Brown sausages over medium-low heat for about 2-3 minutes. Flip and cook for another 2-3 minutes.
2. Pour in 200g of milk, cover the pan, and continue to simmer for 3 minutes. Take the pan off the heat and allow to cool for about 15 minutes.
3. In a separate pan, heat 30g of butter. Using a whisk, slowly add in all-purpose flour until the mixture has the consistency of wet sand. Cook on lowest heat and continue to whisk until you get the aroma of brown butter, about 3-5 minutes.
4. Remove the sausages from the skillet. Using your fingers, break them apart into small pieces and set aside.
5. Reheat the remaining milk in the skillet, add in roux and whisk vigorously to get a smooth mixture. In a steady stream, pour in the additional 300g milk. Season with salt, pepper, and a couple drops of champagne vinegar (or whatever vinegar you have on hand). Add sausage back in. Serve hot over freshly baked biscuits.
6. To refresh gravy, reheat and add a little milk to loosen. Re-season with salt if necessary.