Masa Biscuits

1 1/2 cups Masa harina de maiz

2 tablespoons Plus 1 teaspoon baking -- powder

1 teaspoon Salt

1 Stick (4 oz.) unsalted -- butter, well chilled Cut into small pieces

1/2 cup Solid vegetable shortening -- well chilled And cut into small pieces

2 cups Cultured buttermilk -- chilled Position racks in the upper and middle thirds of the oven and preheat the oven to

3 1/2 cups of the flour, the masa, baking powde r, and salt. With a pastry cutter, blend in the butter and shortening until the mixture resembles a coarse and slightly lumpy meal. Stir in the buttermilk unti l a soft, crumbly dough is formed. Sprinkle the work surface with half of the remaining flour. Turn the dough out, gather it into a ball, and briefly knead i t, just until it holds together. Flatten the dough, sprinkle it with the rest of t he flour, and roll it out about 1-inch thick. With a round 3-inch cutter, form th e biscuits, transferring them to

2 ungreased baking sheets and spacing them about 2-inches apart. Gather the scraps into a ball, roll it out to 1-inch thick, and cut out the remaining biscuits. Set the baking sheets on the racks and bake about 15 minutes, exchanging the position of the sheets on the racks from top to bottom and from front to back a t the halfway point, or until the biscuits are golden and crisp. Serve hot or war m. Makes

12. Author's Comments: These jumbo, Texas-size biscuits include a generous measur e of masa harina de maiz, the specially treated ground corn that is the basis for tortillas, tamales, and other Southwestern staples. Because the masa contains no gluten, these biscuits are remarkably tender, with a distinctive but subtle flavor like that of a corn tortilla. They're particularl y good split, buttered, and topped with jalapeno jelly.