A comforting holiday bake featuring buttermilk biscuits, breakfast sausage, bacon, mushrooms, and a creamy sage and fennel gravy, all cooked in an enameled cast iron braiser.
Preheat oven to 350ºF. Using a 4qt Enameled Cast Iron Covered Braiser on medium high heat, cook the bacon until crispy, stirring occasionally. Once crispy, remove from the pan and set aside. Remove all but 2 Tbsp of bacon fat (save the extra for later). Add breakfast sausage. Break into bite-size chunks and cook for 7-9 minutes until cooked through. Remove and set aside. Add mushrooms to the pan in a single layer. Leave them undisturbed for 3 minutes before stirring. After three minutes, stir. Add fennel seed and chopped sage. Once herbs have bloomed and become fragrant, lower the heat to medium low and add shallots. Cook for two minutes. Once shallots appear translucent, add butter and a tablespoon of the bacon fat. Once melted, slowly add in flour. Mix until a creamy paste has formed. Lower the heat to low. Slowly add in whole milk and heavy cream, whisking until a creamy smooth consistency is reached. Add back in the cooked bacon and sausage. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Place a single layer of quartered biscuits on top of the gravy. Place in the oven and bake for 10 minutes. After 10 minutes, add a layer of egg wash to the top of the biscuits to create a nice golden brown top. Once fully cooked, finish with a little garnish of parsley. Serve and enjoy!
