Frankenstein waffles

My mantra in the kitchen is, “use it before it goes bad,” and this drives most of my creativity. So, while Halloween is approaching and we are trying to use up Burning Man and house sitter provisions, I decided the best way to use up some spinach would be to make a green waffle, evocative of that monster made by Dr. Frankenstein and made green by Hollywood. What goes good with spinach, I asked myself. Cheese. Spinach and cheese waffle.

Frankenstein batter in my favorite mixing bowl.

Yeah, that’s different. Most recipes I peeped on the interwebs (I’ve been watching Thug Notes) just have you chop up spinach to throw in waffle batter. Well, I decided to mash it all up together with my immersion blender.

As far as formulating the recipe, I used these thoughts;

I started with a cornmeal waffle recipe that came with my stove top waffle maker years ago. I figured adding a spinach puree probably won’t effect the moisture content of your favorite base waffle batter, since it seems pretty equal moisture/fiber already. As for the cheese, it’s used as a mix in for waffles in all cheese waffle recipes I’ve researched. So I just grated that gruyere right into the green batter.

Well loved recipes.

Toppings. What is a waffle without toppings? Simply a differently shaped piece of bread. Really, you can used whatever you want. In the moment, spinach and gruyere reminded me of a scrumptious breakfast at Le Barricou in Brooklyn last May. They have an apple gruyere omelet! So I sautéed apples and added pecans that we trekked out to Black Rock City and back. I threw them in a pan with a bit of bacon fat, a tablespoon of brown sugar and sautéed a bit. Voile! Spinach Cheese waffle with apple pecan topping, good for dinner and breakfast. But hey, you should top it with whatever you want. Garlic chips? Aioli? Mushroom Gravy?

Pecans and Early Times Apples

Recipe as follows

0.5 cup cornmeal
0.75 cup wheat flour
0.5 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
salt to taste
1 egg
0.75 cup milk
0.5 cup packed spinach (or kale, or steamed broccoli, or other green easily pureed)
0.25  (or more) cup shredded gruyere (or cheddar, or goat gouda, or aged fontina, or whatever strikes your fancy)

Blend everything but the cheese with your immersion blender or a blender or food processor. Stir in cheese. Follow waffle maker instructions. Makes 3-4 waffles. Want more? Double the recipe!

Looka that green waffle!

This turned out to be a pretty heavy waffle. So we go again with something lighter and this time I used broccoli and one of those amazing cheeses from Fromagerie Sophie. Uh, it looks like cheddar, tastes like a mild cheddar and is called Appleby’s Chesire Cheese.

Belgian Broccoli Cheese Waffles (3-4 waffles)

6-7 oz. of broccoli (steam 5 min.)
2 eggs, separated
a couple dashes of nutmeg or sprig of thyme or turns of the pepper grinder
1.5 tablespoon BUTTER
0.5 cup whole wheat flour
salt to taste
0.5 cup milk
0.5 cup grated cheese (Appleby’s Chesire or cheddar or brie, whatever you think will go well)

1. Throw steamed broccoli, egg yolks, milk, and butter into a bowl. Go to town with immersion blender (or use a real blender or food processor).
2. Stir in flour and cheese.
3. Torture your egg whites until they have stiff peaks.
4. Fold into broccoli batter
5. Cook in waffle maker.

Is your mouth watering yet?

Miss Partner made a lovely beef stew, and I thought this would look and taste just GRAND with it. And it was. Also fantastic the following day with broccolini and a fried egg! I know, you want to come and live with us. Who could blame you.