These really are your waffles. No, seriously. They’re yours! I know the title of this post says ‘Nacho Waffles’, but…
Ugh. Seriously? Will my sense of humor ever evolve past that of an 8 year old boy?
The jury’s still out.
Doubtful.
Stay tuned.
You probably saw this coming down the pike after the November edition of Links To Save Your Life!, but I just couldn’t wait one more second to share because… well, because the reality is even better than the twinkle in my eye.
Let’s just say that traditional nachos with silly little tortilla chips may now officially be dead to me after feasting on these savory waffle stacks.
And they just couldn’t be any easier to prepare!
I mean, you’ve got your basic buttermilk waffle batter, which can simply be whisked together in a big old bowl. Add in the grated cheese of your choice (don’t skimp on that cheese!), griddle your waffles off, and while the waffles cook get your six additional layers ready. I went for the following:
Layer 1: the foundation for your delicious new breakfast home – the cheesy waffles;
Layer 2: a generous spread of smashed, citrus-seasoned avocado;
Layer 3: juicy chopped grape tomatoes;
Layer 4: a smear of refried black beans;
Layer 5: crisp, fresh chopped green onions and parsley;
Layer 6: tart, charred, roasted tomatillos;
Layer 7: crema. A healthy, healthy dose of crema.
This is another dish with which you can feel free to take liberties. If 4 layers are more your speed, go for it. If you prefer whole pinto beans to refried black ones, get it done, friend. And if you would just like to lower your face onto an unadorned, warm cheesy waffle I certainly won’t judge.
I might engage in some potty humor. Or choose to burp the alphabet. But I won’t judge. The 8 year old boy inside me says ‘it’s nacho place to judge, M.’
El sigh.
- For the topping:
- 3-4 cups tomatillos, husked and rinsed
- 4 large avocados
- 2 tbsp. lime juice, freshly squeezed
- 2- 15 oz. cans black beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tsp. garlic, ground
- 3 c. grape tomatoes, quartered
- 1 bunch green onions, diced
- 14 stems parsley, chopped
- crema (sour cream or sour cream thinned with a bit of whole milk may be substituted)
- For the waffles:
- 2 c. all-purpose flour
- 1 tbsp. baking powder
- 1 tsp. salt
- ½ tsp. cumin, ground
- ½ tsp. chipotle chile, ground
- ½ tsp. white pepper, ground
- 3 large eggs, lightly whisked
- 1½ c. buttermilk
- ⅓ c. vegetable oil
- 1½ c. sharp cheddar cheese, shredded (As always, I strongly suggest hand-shredding your cheese in order to ensure even and thorough melting.)
- To prepare the toppings, preheat your broiler. Spread the tomatillos onto a rimmed baking sheet and broil until charred and weeping. Remove and set aside to cool. Once cooled enough to handle, rough chop and set aside.
- Meanwhile, peel, pit and place the flesh of the avocados into a large bowl. Mash together with the freshly squeezed lime juice and set aside.
- Place the beans into another large bowl and smash to the desired consistency. Note that I personally prefer chunky beans and choose to mash mine with a pastry cutter or fork in order to retain some of the natural consistency of the whole beans. I do not recommend puréeing your beans in a blender or food processor. Heat the oil in a large heavy-bottomed skillet over a medium flame and add the smashed beans. Cook for just 7-10 minutes or until beans are heated and slightly crisped, seasoning with ground garlic just before removing fried beans from heat.
- To prepare the waffles, preheat your waffle iron according to the manufacturer’s instructions.
- Whisk the flour, baking powder, salt, cumin, chipotle chile and white pepper together in a large bowl. Whisk in the eggs, buttermilk and oil, mixing just until you have a uniform but slightly lumpy batter. Fold in the cheese.
- Pour the batter onto the preheated iron and bake, again using the amount of batter and cook time recommended by the manufacturer. Remove baked waffles and set aside.
- To assemble your waffle stacks, top warm waffles generously with avocado mixture, grape tomatoes, refried beans, parsley and green onions, chopped tomatillos, and finally a generous pour of crema. Serve immediately.