Potato Waffles

I haven't made waffles for ages! I gave up on my old waffle iron, which always seemed to produce limp, floppy waffles, assuming I could even pry them from the waffle iron at all, in spite of the "nonstick" coating. However, my brother-in-law has given up eating much in the way of carbohydrates, and so I now have his old waffle iron, dating back to the 1940's by the look of it, which he acquired in a yard sale. It works much better, and without any of that nasty nonstick coating!

These are not a traditional light, fluffy waffle; they are more like boxty or potato scones, cooked into a waffle shape.  All the better to hold the butter. I don't think they go with syrup - bacon or sausage sounds like a much better idea - but Mr. Ferdzy likes them with applesauce.

6 waffles; 2 to 3 servings
40 minutes to make mashed potatoes
plus 30 minutes to make the waffles

Make the Mashed Potatoes:
500 grams (1 pound) russet potatoes
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/3 cup buttermilk or thin yogurt
1/2 teaspoon salt

Wash, trim, and cut the potatoes into even chunks. Put them in a pot with water to just cover them and boil them until tender; about15 to 20 minutes. Drain them, and let them sit in the pot with the lid off for a minute or so to get quite dry. Mashe them with the butter, buttermilk, and salt.

Or, use 2 cups of leftover mashed potatoes. 

Make the Waffles:
mild vegetable oil
1/4 cup finely chopped chives
1/2 cup soft unbleached flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
2 large eggs
about 1/3 cup buttermilk or thin yogurt

Brush the waffle iron lightly with oil, and heat it.

Clean, dry, and chop the chives very finely. Put them in a mixing bowl and mix them with the flour and baking powder. Beat in the eggs. Mix in the mashed potatoes, and the buttermilk. Add a little more if the batter is to thick to spread out easily.

Cook the batter in the waffle iron in 2 or 3 batches, depending on the size of the waffle iron. Each batch will take about 10 minutes to cook; they are done when the amount of steam coming off them diminishes to a noticable degree. Re-oil the waffle iron between each batch, and keep the prepared waffles hot in a 200°F oven.




Last year at this time I made Spicy Parsnip & Tomato Soup.

Posted in: Ontario Food