Ever since my bridal shower last October, my life hasn't been the same. Sure, my family and friends spoiled me rotten and created a magical day for me that I'll never forget.
But, the life-changing part of the whole thing? It was also the day that a waffle maker came into my life. (Thanks, V!) My waffle maker.
Should he have a name? I guess it's a he now...
Walter? I like Walter. If you haven't noticed, I like alliteration. Makes naming inanimate objects that much more fun. Try it!
Anyway, Walter and I have gotten along swimmingly since that fine Sunday. You see, we've tried to learn from the mistakes of others who neglect their waffle makers for decades at a time, only to eventually cast it off at a garage sale for good. At least once a month, we have a date with flour, sugar, and maple syrup. At times, we even get a little crazy and the batter overflows and... whew, it's a whirlwind, I'm telling you.
Well, a few weeks ago I bookmarked a recipe that seriously intrigued me. It rocked the very sturdy and sweet foundation upon which Walter and I have built our relationship over the past months.
Savory cornmeal and chives waffles.
What the what? Is that too crazy?
If pancakes and oatmeal could be savory, so, too could waffles, I surmised. Heck, if Joy thought it was a good idea, that was good enough for me.
The batter came together like that of any other waffle with a little less sugar and the addition of cornmeal and chives. If you aren't familiar with chives, they are the most mild member of the onion family, pleasantly fragrant and so simple to
Spring-y little flecks of green chives all over the cooked waffle had me salivating already, but I wasn't finished. Some unplanned rummaging through the fridge yielded leftover black beans, grape tomatoes, and salsa. This was turning into a Mexican breakfast waffle... and I liked every bit of it.
Some more chives for garnish to yield one seriously appealing savory breakfast.
I'm here to tell you that I'm normally a sweet breakfast kind of gal. Cereal, smoothies, pancakes, and waffles. But this waffle rendition may have officially converted me. Crazy enough to work and do wonders for the rest of my day as I shuffled along, satisfied by savory waffles.
The flavors of butter and corn and subtle chives mixed together to create this unbelievable waffle. I still can't believe I'm typing those words in the same sentence: savory and waffle. But, believe it because this is the real deal! (You should make these, too, James Neal.)
The waffle was so fluffy and moist thanks to the addition of melted butter and milk. I mean, it was very unlikely those two components were going to do me wrong.
But I certainly expect it to be so right. I could seriously get used to starting my mornings this way. Walter and I... and Matt, of course, just chilling out with our savory waffles. It's the stuff of fairy tales :)
Savory Cornmeal Waffles
(adapted slightly from Joy the Baker)
-makes 5 large waffles
A few notes: If you're not going to finish 5 waffles in one sitting, save these and let them cool completely at room temperature. Pop them into the freezer in a large Ziploc bag until a later date. To reheat, pop into the toaster or under the broiler as you would boxed frozen waffles for a few minutes on each side. We froze two for a week before enjoying topped with sunny side up eggs -- yum! Joy even suggests quartering a waffle and using the pieces as bread. I think my brain just exploded thinking about the sandwich possibilities...
1 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup cornmeal
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/3 cup (5 1/3 Tablespoons) unsalted better, melted
2 large eggs
1 1/4 cup buttermilk (I used regular milk, which worked just fine)
3 Tablespoons chopped chives
Salsa, for serving
Grape tomatoes, quartered, for serving
Black beans, for serving
Set your waffle iron in a level, clean surface and turn on to preheat. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, cornmeal, baking powder, sugar, baking soda, and salt. In a medium bowl, whisk together eggs, butter, and buttermilk. Add the wet ingredients, all at once to the dry ingredients. Add the chives and parsley. Stir until just incorporated. Try not to over-mix the batter -- it's okay if a few lumps remain in the batter.
Cook according to your waffle machine instructions. Top waffles with black beans, diced tomatoes, salsa, and extra chives. Waffles are best served immediately.
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