Waffles for Supper (Not What You Think)

We had waffles for supper tonight; savoury waffles made with onion and herbs, topped with chicken and mushrooms in gravy.  They were excellent.

For those of you who only think of waffles as food that travels from a box in the freezer to the toaster on hurried weekday mornings, or those of you who think of them as a sweet plateful of scratch-made love at a leisurely Sunday breakfast, savoury waffles will be an eye-opener.  They’re easy and quick to make and they’re excellent refrigerator Velcro.  They can transform just about any savoury ingredient in your fridge into a tasty supper. 

I’d really like you to try these waffles so I’ve provided the recipe below.  Feel free to adapt the seasonings to suit the toppings you have on hand.  (I’m particularly fond of parsley, dill and lemon rind if I’m serving seafood.)  You can top the waffles with just about anything; if it can be served on pasta or potatoes or rice, it’ll work on waffles, too.

This recipe makes 6 waffles in my waffle iron. 

6 Tbsp. butter

2 c. flour

1 Tbsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. salt

1 Tbsp. chopped parsley leaves

1/2 tsp. dried, rubbed sage

1/2 tsp. dried thyme leaves

1-3/4 c. milk

2 large eggs, separated, at room temperature

1 Tbsp. grated onion

Heat your waffle iron.  Melt the butter in a medium sized saucepan, over low heat, and then set it aside to cool slightly. 

In a medium size bowl, combine the flour, baking powder and salt.  Add the herbs. Toss the dry ingredients with a fork until the herbs are mixed through and lightly coated with flour.  Set aside.

Beat the milk, egg yolks and grated onion into the melted butter then stir the wet mixture into the flour mixture just until the flour is moistened.

In a small bowl, beat the egg whites until stiff peaks form.  Fold the whites into the waffle batter.

Pour enough batter over the waffle iron to cover 2/3 of the grid.  Using a metal spatula, spread the batter to the edges of the grid.  Close the lid and cook the waffles until the steam stops.  When the waffle is done, remove it from the iron with a fork.  Transfer the finished waffle to a wire rack on a baking sheet.  Keep finished waffles warm in the oven until the entire batch is cooked and ready to serve. 

Photo by:  James Starmer
                 http://www.flickr.com/photos/starmer/2886631374/