3.9.16 Savory Cheddar and Green Chile Cornmeal Waffles
I’ve admittedly been on a little bit of a brinner kick these days. I can think of worse problems to have. But really, when one has gone their whole adult life without owning a waffle iron (!?!) and FINALLY gets around to buying one, it’s an inevitable fact that there’s going to be a decent amount of waffling going on.
I’m one of those people who until recently had only categorized waffles as a sweet breakfast item. Which I now realize is completely silly, because these savory waffles are a pretty fantastic addition to anyone’s brunch game. Delightfully cheesy and slightly spicy, they’re are not only delicious on their own, but are the perfect vehicle for any number of delicious toppings.
As you can see, I went all out. As should you. But the key topping here (at least in my mind) is fresh tomato salsa (although my husband would argue that maple syrup (??) is the way to go here - to each their own). And yes, making fresh tomato salsa may seem like something more attuned to summer. But let’s be honest, homemade salsa is always delicious (decidedly more so than anything that comes in a can), and when the weather is as warm and beautiful as it’s been lately, I can’t help but be tempted to eat things that taste like summer, because, let’s face it, it’s been a while.
Savory Cheddar and Green Chile Cornmeal Waffles
Makes 3 waffles (the perfect amount for 2 hungry people)
In a pinch, you can sub canned green chiles (¼ cup drained should do the trick) here, but if you’ve got the time, I highly recommend roasting your own. It’s one of those things that I find is pretty easy to do, but adds a ton to the overall flavor of the dish.
Salsa:
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes, cut into small pieces
- 1 Tbsp chopped cilantro
- 1 Tbsp chopped green onions
- 1 small jalapeno pepper, finely chopped (seeded if less heat desired)
- 1 tsp fresh lime juice
- a pinch of salt
Waffles and Assembly:
- 2 large green chile peppers (such as Anaheim), halved lengthwise and seeded
- ½ cup flour
- ½ cup cornmeal
- 1 tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp salt
- 3/4 c milk
- 1 egg
- 2 Tbsp butter, melted
- ½ cup shredded cheddar cheese
- Additional toppings: poached eggs, sliced avocado, cilantro sprigs, and/or hot sauce.
1. Make the salsa by combining all salsa ingredients in a bowl and stirring together until well mixed. Let salsa sit while you make the waffles.
2. Roast green chiles: place peppers, skin side up, in a single layer on a baking sheet lined with foil. Place baking sheet on top rack in oven and broil on high until peppers are blackened and blistering, about 10-12 minutes.
3. Immediately transfer peppers to a bowl and cover tightly with plastic wrap. Let peppers sit inside the bowl for 5-10 minutes (this steams them, which will make the skins much easier to remove).
4. Peel charred skins off of peppers, discard skins and chop peppers into small pieces.
5. While peppers are steaming, mix up your waffle batter. Stir together the flour, cornmeal, baking powder, and salt together in a medium bowl. Add in the milk, egg, and melted butter and mix well.
6. Fold in the shredded cheddar cheese and chopped roasted chile peppers.
7. Preheat waffle iron, and once hot, pour on ⅓ of the batter and cook according to your waffle iron’s instructions. Repeat with the remaining batter - you should end up with 3 waffles total.
8. Serve waffles topped with fresh salsa, and any and all other toppings you can think of. My combo of salsa, avocado, poached egg, cilantro, and hot sauce is pretty darn awesome - highly recommend.
