WAFFLE IRON
COOK EGGS
We’ve all gotten waffle irons as gifts but somehow never get around to making waffles. The good news is that there are a lot of other ways to use them! I love using mine to cook egg dishes, including okonomiyaki, a Japanese mash-up of an omelet and a pancake.
Scatter fillings in the waffle iron and cook without closing. Pour the egg mixture on top and let set. Close the lid without locking to finish cooking.
Waffled Okonomiyaki
Total
30 min;
Serves
2
2 slices of bacon, halved crosswise
2 large eggs, beaten
½ cup chicken stock or low-sodium broth
1 Tbsp. melted butter
½ cup all-purpose flour
½ tsp. kosher salt
½ cup shredded green cabbage
¼ cup shredded carrot
¼ cup thinly sliced scallions, plus more for serving
Kewpie mayonnaise (see Note), Sriracha and bonito flakes (optional; see Note), for serving
1. Heat an 8-inch Belgian waffle iron. Add the bacon, close the top and cook on medium-high until browned and crisp, about 5 minutes. Drain on paper towels.
2. In a medium bowl, beat the eggs with the stock, butter, flour and salt. Scatter the cabbage, carrot and ¼ cup of scallions on the waffle iron and cook on high, without closing, until sizzling, about 30 seconds. Gradually pour the egg mixture on top and cook, without closing, until the eggs just start to set on the bottom, 20 to 30 seconds. Close the top without locking it and cook until the eggs are set, 30 seconds to 1 minute longer.
3. Open the iron and, using a spatula, fold the okonomiyaki in half; transfer to a plate. Serve topped with the bacon, Kewpie, Sriracha, bonito and sliced scallions.
NOTE Look for Kewpie mayonnaise (which is made with rice vinegar, and very popular in Japan) and bonito flakes at Asian markets.
Waffled Denver Omelet
Total
30 min;
Serves
4
Nonstick cooking spray
8 large eggs
Kosher salt and pepper
½ cup finely chopped baked ham
½ cup very thinly sliced red onion
¼ cup finely chopped green bell pepper
¾ cup shredded cheddar cheese, plus more for serving
Finely chopped parsley, for garnish
1. Heat an 8-inch Belgian waffle iron and coat with nonstick spray. In a medium bowl, beat the eggs with a generous pinch each of salt and pepper.
2. Scatter one-fourth of the ham, onion and bell pepper on the waffle iron and cook on high, without closing, until sizzling, about 30 seconds. Gradually pour one-fourth of the beaten eggs on top and cook, without closing, until the eggs just start to set on the bottom, 20 to 30 seconds. Close the iron without locking it (to allow the batter to expand) and cook until the eggs are set, 30 seconds to 1 minute longer.
3. Open the iron and scatter one-fourth of the cheese over the omelet. Using a spatula, fold the omelet in half and transfer to a plate. Top with more cheese and chopped parsley and serve. Repeat with the remaining ingredients to form 3 more omelets, spraying the waffle iron between batches.
MAKE POTATO WAFFLES
You can give potato pancakes a serious upgrade by waffling them. You’ll get all these awesome crisp nooks and crannies and the center will still be deliciously soft. Plus, you won’t even have to flip the waffles because the iron cooks them on both sides.
STEP 1 In a large bowl, stir together all of the ingredients for the potato waffles.
STEP 2 Spread the mixture onto a buttered preheated waffle iron.
STEP 3 Close and let cook until the waffle is golden and crisp.
Waffled Potato Blini with Smoked Salmon
Total
40 min;
Serves
4
2 lbs. baking potatoes—peeled, coarsely shredded and squeezed dry
1 medium onion, shredded
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
3 Tbsp. all-purpose flour
1½ tsp. kosher salt
1 tsp. baking powder
2 Tbsp. chopped dill, plus more for garnish
3 Tbsp. melted unsalted butter, plus more for brushing
Smoked salmon and sour cream, for serving
1. Heat an 8-inch standard waffle iron and preheat the oven to 200°. In a large bowl, mix the potatoes with the onion, eggs, flour, salt, baking powder, the 2 tablespoons of dill and 3 tablespoons of butter.
2. Brush the waffle iron with melted butter and spread one-fourth of the potato mixture onto it. Close and cook on high until the blini is golden and crisp, 5 to 7 minutes. Transfer to a rack in the oven to keep warm. Repeat with the remaining potato mixture to make 3 more blini. Serve the blini topped with smoked salmon, sour cream and dill.
NOTE These blini can also be made in a Belgian waffle maker to serve 3: Spoon one-third of the mixture onto the waffle iron instead of one-fourth.
POTATO WAFFLES 3 MORE WAYS
Once I mastered potato pancakes in the waffle iron, I created variations based on my favorite foods, like kimchi pancakes and loaded baked potatoes. I even made a dessert version with sweet potatoes. If you’re cooking in batches, transfer the waffles directly to a rack in a 200° oven. (You don’t want to lose any of the crispness!) The recipes here each serve four.
1 Potato, Kimchi and Scallion Waffles
Peel, coarsely shred and squeeze dry 2 lbs. baking potatoes. Mix in a bowl with 1 cup thinly sliced drained kimchi , 1 cup julienned scallions, 2 large eggs, ¼ cup flour , 3 Tbsp. melted unsalted butter, 1 tsp. kosher salt and 1 tsp. baking powder. Brush a heated 8-inch standard waffle iron with melted butter and spread one-fourth of the potato mixture on it. Close and cook on high until golden, 7 to 9 minutes. Keep warm. Repeat with the remaining potato mixture. In a bowl, whisk 3 Tbsp. low-sodium soy sauce, 1 Tbsp. rice vinegar, 1 tsp. toasted sesame seeds and ½ tsp. toasted sesame oil. Garnish the waffles with julienned scallions and sesame seeds and serve with the sauce.
2 Loaded Potato Waffles
Peel, coarsely shred and squeeze dry 2 lbs. baking potatoes. Mix in a bowl with ¾ cup shredded extra-sharp cheddar cheese, 2 large eggs, 3 Tbsp. all-purpose flour, 3 Tbsp. melted unsalted butter, 1½ tsp. kosher salt and 1 tsp. baking powder. Fold in ½ cup crumbled cooked bacon and ⅓ cup chopped chives. Brush a heated 8-inch standard waffle iron with melted butter and spread one-fourth of the potato mixture on it. Close and cook on high until the waffle is golden and crisp, 5 to 7 minutes. Keep warm. Repeat with the remaining potato mixture. Serve topped with sour cream, crumbled bacon, shredded cheddar and chopped chives.
3 Sweet Potato Waffles with Fluff
Peel, coarsely shred and squeeze dry 2 lbs. sweet potatoes. Mix in a bowl with 2 large eggs, ¼ cup all-purpose flour, 3 Tbsp. melted unsalted butter, 2 Tbsp. light brown sugar, 1½ tsp. cinnamon, 1 tsp. baking powder and ¾ tsp. kosher salt. Brush a heated 8-inch standard waffle iron with melted butter and spread one-fourth of the potato mixture on it. Close and cook on high until the waffle is golden and crisp, 5 to 7 minutes. Keep warm. Repeat with the remaining potato mixture. Serve topped with Marshmallow Fluff and chopped toasted pecans.
PRESS SANDWICHES
If you own a waffle iron, you don’t ever need to buy a panini press—sorry, panini press makers! Just load your sandwich into your waffle iron and shut the lid. You’ll get a piping-hot grilled sandwich with extra-crisp bread and gooey cheese that stretches for yards.
Add a sandwich to the waffle iron and close the top without locking it. Let cook, pressing down gently on the lid occasionally, until the sandwich is crunchy on the outside and the cheese is melted.
Waffled Muffuletta
Total
30 min;
Serves
4
4 soft ciabatta or kaiser rolls, split and hollowed out
1⅓ cups shredded provolone cheese
½ cup sliced pitted green olives
¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for brushing
2 Tbsp. plus 2 tsp. red wine vinegar
Kosher salt and pepper
16 thin slices of mortadella
¼ cup chopped jarred hot cherry peppers
1. Open the rolls on a work surface. On the bottom half of each roll, spoon ⅓ cup of cheese and 2 tablespoons of olives. Drizzle each with 1 tablespoon of olive oil and 2 teaspoons of red wine vinegar and season with salt and pepper. Top with the mortadella. Spread the chopped hot cherry peppers evenly on the roll tops and close the sandwiches, pressing to flatten them.
2. Heat an 8-inch Belgian waffle iron. Brush both sides of a sandwich with olive oil, add to the waffle iron and close the top without locking it. Cook on high, pressing down gently on the waffle iron occasionally, until the sandwich is crispy on the outside and the cheese is melted, 4 to 5 minutes. Repeat with the remaining sandwiches.
Waffled Croissants with Prosciutto
Total
30 min;
Serves
4
A croissant makes the ultimate grilled sandwich. It’s so buttery it’s almost like a self-basting bread in the waffle iron.
4 croissants, split
4 oz. thinly sliced prosciutto
2 cups arugula (not baby), thick stems discarded
1½ oz. Asiago cheese, shredded (1⅓ cups)
1. Heat an 8-inch Belgian waffle iron. Open the croissants on a work surface and pile the prosciutto, arugula and cheese on the bottoms. Close the sandwiches, pressing to flatten them.
2. Add a sandwich to the waffle iron and close the top without locking it. Cook on medium, pressing down gently on the waffle iron occasionally, until the sandwich is crispy on the outside and the cheese is melted, 4 to 5 minutes. Repeat with the remaining sandwiches.
GRIDDLE DESSERTS
Add batter or dough to a heated waffle iron. Close the lid for no-bake desserts.
Waffled Brownie Sundaes
Total
30 min;
Makes
2 large waffles
2 oz. semisweet chocolate, finely chopped
6 Tbsp. unsalted butter, softened, plus melted butter for brushing
½ cup sugar
2 large eggs
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
½ cup plus 2 Tbsp. all-purpose flour
¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
½ tsp. baking powder
½ tsp. kosher salt
Vanilla ice cream and sprinkles,for serving
1. In a large microwave-safe bowl, melt the chopped chocolate in the 6 tablespoons of butter in 20-second intervals; whisk until smooth. Whisk in the sugar, eggs and vanilla until smooth, then whisk in the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder and salt.
2.
Heat an 8-inch Belgian waffle iron and brush it lightly with melted butter.
Add half of the brownie batter, close the lid and cook on medium until the waffle
is crisp on the outside and cooked through, 4 to 5 minutes. Repeat with the remaining batter. Serve the waffles with vanilla ice cream and sprinkles.
Cinnamon-Cardamom Bun Waffles
Active
1 hr;
Total
3 hr 30 min;
Makes
6 large waffles or 24 individual buns
DOUGH
¾ cup whole milk
½ cup granulated sugar
1 Tbsp. active dry yeast
2 large eggs
6 Tbsp. unsalted butter, softened, plus more for brushing
1 tsp. finely grated lemon zest
½ tsp. kosher salt
3½ cups all-purpose flour
½ cup packed light brown sugar
2 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. ground cardamom
ICING
1¼ cups confectioners’ sugar
4 Tbsp. unsalted butter, melted
3 Tbsp. whole milk
Pearled sugar, for sprinkling
1. Make the dough In a microwave-safe glass, heat the milk until barely warm. Pour into a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook and stir in the granulated sugar and yeast. Let stand until the yeast is foamy, about 5 minutes. Add the eggs, 6 tablespoons of butter, the lemon zest and salt, then add the flour and beat at medium speed until a soft dough forms, about 3 minutes. Increase the speed to medium-high and beat until the dough is soft and supple, about 5 minutes longer.
2. Scrape the dough out onto a lightly floured surface, form it into a ball and transfer to a lightly buttered bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and let stand in a warm place until doubled in bulk, 1 to 2 hours.
3. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and butter the paper. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and roll it out to a 15-by-20-inch rectangle. In a small bowl, mix the brown sugar with the cinnamon and cardamom. Sprinkle the sugar mixture evenly over the dough.
4. Tightly roll up the dough to form a 24- to 26-inch-long log (it will stretch as you roll it). Working quickly, trim the ends of the log, then cut the log into 24 rounds. Arrange the rounds cut side up on the prepared baking sheet, cover lightly with plastic and let rise in a warm place until puffy, about 1 hour.
5.
Heat an 8-inch Belgian waffle iron and brush it lightly with butter. Add 4 buns
cut side up, close the top and cook until the buns are golden on the outside and cooked through, 3 to 5 minutes. Transfer to a rack. Repeat with the remaining buns.
6. Make the icing In a medium bowl, whisk the confectioners’ sugar with the butter and milk until thick. Drizzle the buns with the glaze and sprinkle with pearled sugar. If the buns stick together, tear them apart before serving.
MAKE AHEAD The buns can be made up to 2 hours ahead. Warm in a 225° oven before glazing and serving.