Photo by Jane Mason
Provenance of Dish
I have my dear friend Kelly Cushner to thank for introducing me to savory waffles, which we made in her cozy kitchen on a drizzly Saturday morning in Oakland, California. The concept opened up a world of possibilities, and this recipe is now a staple in my home, served as a meal, a side, or a snack—just as they are or drizzled with butter, olive oil, a yogurt-lemon sauce, or light gravy. Feel free to experiment with both the type of mushroom and the cheeses (diced and sautéed lobster mushrooms are also delicious, and the nuggets give the waffles a nutty quality). If you have fresh garden herbs, chop and add!
Recipe
Ingredients
6 ounces fresh porcini, chopped fine, or 3/4 ounce dry
3-4 stalks lacinato kale, stemmed and chopped fine
1-2 shallots, minced
2 tablespoons parsley, minced (optional)
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
¼ cup cottage cheese
¼ cup feta cheese
1 cup flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
2 eggs
1 cup milk
1/3 cup plain yogurt
Melted butter or extra virgin olive oil for waffle iron
Instructions
If using dried porcini, place into a ceramic bowl and pour boiling water over the top. Cover and let sit for 20 minutes, then drain and chop fine. If using fresh, skip this step!
While the mushrooms are soaking, mix together the flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl and stir to blend.
In a smaller bowl, beat the eggs and add in the cheeses, yogurt, milk and mix.
Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a skillet over medium-low heat. When the oil is hot, add the mushrooms and cook, stirring a bit, for 2-3 minutes. Add a pinch or two of salt and the shallots and cook another minute, then add the kale and cook until it wilts and glistens—2-3 minutes. Taste and add more salt if needed. You want the vegetables to be nicely seasoned but not overly salty. Remove from heat and set aside to cool a bit.
Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and stir until just blended. Fold in the sautéed vegetables.
Heat a waffle iron and butter or olive oil generously. Cook as you would regular waffles. Serve plain with butter or olive oil, with lemon-yogurt sauce, or light gravy.
