Waffles b4 Editors Note:  This recipe is from fellow foodie, Jeff Prescott.  I can't wait to try this out!  You can follow Jeff on Twitter @RealtySeattle

1/3 c extra-virgin olive oil

1 large shallot, peeled and finely chopped

1 large plump garlic clove, peeled and finely chopped

1 ¼ c buttermilk

2 large eggs

1 ¼ c all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons double acting baking powder

¼ teaspoon baking soda

¾ teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1/8 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

1 small zucchini (aprox 8 oz), scrubbed, NOT peeled

¼ lb sharp cheddar cheese

 

 

  1. Pour the olive oil into a small heavy skillet and warm over very low heat. Add the shallot and garlic and stir to coat with oil. Heat for 1 minute more, just until you can smell the warming ingredients. Remove the pan from the stove and cool briefly. Meanwhile, whisk together the buttermilk and eggs in a medium-size bowl. Add the contents of the skillet to the buttermilk mixture and whisk vigorously to combine. Reserve.
  2. Preheat your waffle iron. If you want to hold the finished waffles until serving time, preheat your oven to 200F
  3. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Grate the zucchini and cheddar into the bowl. Mix with a rubber spatula (or your hands) to distribute evenly. Pour the liquid ingredients over the dry ingredients and stir with the spatula until just combined.
  4. Lightly butter or spray the grids of your iron, if needed. Brush or spray the grids again only if subsequent waffles stick.
  5. Spoon out ¾ C of batter (or slightly more than your iron’s manufacturer recommends) onto the hot grids. Use a metal spatula or wooden spoon to smooth the batter almost to the edge of the grids. Close the lid and bake until browned and crisp. We baked until the steaming had mostly stopped. Serve the waffles immediately or keep them, in a single layer, on a rack in the preheated oven while you make the rest of the batch.

These waffles are delicious as a stand-alone side dish as a starch – perhaps in place of potatos or rice. We enjoyed these as an entrée with a seafood, white wine and cream sauce – also delicious! 

We found  “Waffles – From Morning To Midnight” by Dorie Greenspan (1998) at Second Use Books – one of several great local bookstores on Capitol Hill. We have had several of the dinner waffles and they’re awesome – unexpected deliciousness in place of rice or potato. This will be a fun side dish for guests.