New Orleans Luncheon Biscuits

These are the perfect accompaniment to soups and salads.

About 3 cups soft, southern wheat flour
    or all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 1/2 cups plus 1 tablespoon solid vegetable shortening
1 to 1 1/4 cups milk
3/4 teaspoon fresh lemon juice

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Lightly grease 2 baking sheets.

In medium bowl, combine 3 cups flour, baking powder and salt with a fork. Cut shortening into 1-inch cubes; add shortening cubes to flour mixture. Using your fingertips, work shortening into flour mixture until it resembles coarse cornmeal. Add 1 cup milk and lemon juice. Using a wooden spoon, gently stir mixture just until all flour is moist and dough is slightly sticky. If additional milk is necessary, stir in 1 tablespoon at a time. Turn out dough onto a heavily floured surface.

Pat out dough into a flat circle about 8 inches in diameter. Flour surface of circle; roll out to a 1/2-inch thick rectangle. Fold pastry in half; line up corners. Re-flour surface as necessary. With open edge at your right, roll out pastry and fold as before for a total of 4 times. When 4 folds have been completed, roll out pastry to 1/2-inch thick. Using a 1 1/2-inch biscuit cutter, cut out biscuits. Place biscuits on greased baking sheets. Bake in middle of preheated oven until biscuits have risen and are light golden brown, 10 to 12 minutes.

Serve hot.

Makes about 36 (1 1/2-inch) biscuits.