Cheddar-Chive Biscuits & Sausage Gravy

Method

1. Heat the oven to 425°F with a rack in the upper third and line a sheet pan with parchment. Whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt, grate the frozen butter into the bowl, and toss with your fingertips until the butter is in pea-size flakes. Stir in the cheddar and chives.
2. Add the buttermilk and stir with a fork until a shaggy dough forms. Turn it onto a floured counter and pat into a 6x8-inch rectangle.
3. Fold the dough in thirds like a letter, rotate, pat out again and repeat twice more, then pat to 1 inch thick. Cut 6 biscuits with a 3-inch cutter pressed straight down without twisting, re-patting scraps for the last ones.
4. Set the biscuits touching on the sheet pan, brush with the melted butter and bake 15 to 18 minutes, until tall and deep golden.
5. Meanwhile, cook the sausage in a 12-inch skillet over medium-high for 8 to 10 minutes, breaking it into crumbles, until browned with no pink (160°F). Leave about 3 tbsp fat in the pan and pour off the rest. If there is less than 3 tbsp, add butter to make up the difference.
6. Sprinkle the gravy flour over the sausage and stir for 2 minutes until pasty and the raw smell is gone. Pour in the milk in a slow stream, stirring, then simmer 5 to 6 minutes until it coats a spoon.
7. Season with the pepper, sage, cayenne and salt to taste. Split the biscuits and ladle the gravy over the top.