Friday, May 6, 2011

Smoked Salmon Waffles

A recipe with smoked salmon is sure to grab my attention. So are ones with cute stacks of things made in mini versions. There were a lot of great ideas in Dorie Greenspan’s Around My French Table, but these savory waffles were first on my list of things to try. There are two ways you could go with these waffles. You could make whole waffles, cut them into quarters, top them as you please, and serve them in one, single layer. They’d be great as small bites for a cocktail party. Or, as I did, you can make mini waffles by just placing a spoonful of batter in the center of each waffle square assuming you’re using a square waffle maker. Then, the mini waffles can be topped and stacked into towers for brunch. The toppings here are creme fraiche, smoked salmon, and chopped chives, but in the book, salmon roe is also shown as an optional topping. You could get creative and use these as vehicles for all kinds of things though. For instance, the pate de jardin made by Kocurek Family Charcuterie that I brought home from the farmers’ market was another delicious thing to set atop these waffles. The batter for them was made with chopped green onions, chives, and smoked salmon in it, so the savory flavors ran through each bite.

Making the batter was as easy as it always is for any pancake or waffle. Flour, baking powder, salt, and pepper, in this case, were whisked together. In a separate bowl, milk, eggs, and melted butter were combined and then added to the dry ingredients. Everything was stirred together but just barely. As usual, some lumps are fine. Last, chopped smoked salmon, green onions, and chives were folded into the batter. I heated my waffle maker, and mine happens to make kind of big dents in waffles rather than little, dainty ones. In this case, a daintier dent might have been nicer, but mine worked well enough. When the machine was hot, I spooned a bit of batter into the center of each of the four waffle squares. They cooked for the usual amount of time which for my machine is about six minutes. When they were all done, I stacked three mini waffles per serving with creme fraiche and more smoked salmon between each layer.

There’s enough butter in these waffles to give them good, rich flavor which fit well with the salty, savoriness of cured salmon. Salmon, chives, and creme fraiche is a mix that works every time. Sweet, syrup-covered waffles are a welcome treat at brunch too, but having a buttery, crisp waffle without the sugar was a fun change of pace. One other suggestion from the book was to offer these with various toppings in a build-your-own setup for a party. I like that idea too, and I’m already thinking of more topping ideas.



33 comments:

  1. Terrific! That is one beautiful combination.

    Cheers,

    Rosa

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  2. I love, love these waffles! And mostly all things salmon... ;)

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  3. Lisa, these waffles look amazing! I've never had a savory waffle before but I've been thinking about making one. I'll probably just start with cheese though... that seems the most effortless ;]

    PS Please note my new blog address!! :)

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  4. I am not a breakfast person, but I would happily eat these!

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  5. Holy smokes! this looks so freaking yummy.

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  6. What a nice change those are from traditional sweet waffles. I could easily eat those for dinner any day!

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  7. At the risk of shocking you beyond belief, I have to whisper.... I've never had a waffle!

    neither sweet, nor savory - your smoked salmon variation seems perfect to me. I've always wondered what the waffle part tastes like.

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  8. Great idea. Congrats on winning your award.

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  9. Never had a savory waffle before but these must also be delicious. Now a few ideas are going on in my mind.

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  10. love the waffles..

    New to ur space n happy to follow u..

    Do visit me as time permits..
    http://comeletseat.blogspot.com

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  11. I don't think i've ever had savory waffles but if you infuse smoked salmon into just about anything, I'm guaranteed to fall in love! These look excellent!

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  12. I usually just eat plain old waffles but lately i have been seeing a lot of savory waffle recipes and i am intrigued. I will be making these for sure just to rest my curioisty ...heheh.

    And as usual, i enjoued looking at your lovely pictures :)

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  13. A recipe with smoked salmon is sure to grab my attention too!!! These savory waffles look fabulous Lisa. Oh how I wish I could sample one right now!!!

    Thank you so much for sharing...

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  14. I love a savory waffle and these with the smoked salmon look incredible! What a treat they would be for Mom's day tomorrow! This is one cookbook I'm glad I own - I don't remember seeing this recipe.

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  15. These look amazing! And I love the idea of topping them with roe. That is so nutritious. There is some great salmon roe available from Vital Choice.

    Love your blog! Your pictures are amazing. I have never seen such wonderful photography. It's like I'm looking at it in person.

    Thanks so much for sharing!

    Love,

    Mary
    (Fellow Austinite...well almost...I actually live in a small town west of Austin. :-) )

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  16. Mmm, those flavours are delicious. I don't think I've ever had savoury waffles..., interesting concept.

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  17. Beautiful! I love the presentation and the combination of flavors. It looks almost too cute to eat. :-)

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  18. What a great idea. Savory waffles have never visited my kitchen but after looking at your post and photos, I think it's about time! thanks.

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  19. What beautiful little waffles! Just perfect! But topped with smoked salmon, as you said, is perfect! Too elegant and scrumptious!

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  20. Cute as heck and such a cool idea. Love it!

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  21. Fabulous photos, as always! I'm drooling over here. An cute idea to make mini waffles in a full size iron!

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  22. I love the idea of smoked salmon in the waffle batter, so awesome, a must try for sure!

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  23. your photos look like they belong in a gourmet magazine, lisa! ive never had savoury waffles before but looking at this i just know id prefer this to the sweeter version!!

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  24. Savory waffle for me anytime , and I love that they are so finger-friendly. I might get addicted! :O

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  25. I have seen a lot of savory waffles in French sites and have yet to try it! Oops. got rid of my waffle-maker years ago! Too bad, because these look so delicious!

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  26. i've always wondered why people would want bagels and lox as a breakfast option, but for some reason, salmon and waffles seems perfectly natural for any meal! lovely idea and execution!

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  27. anything with smoked salmon grabs my attention as well!
    really interesting recipe.

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  28. I had really good smoked salmon this past weekend which reminds me I need to use it more often. Love these little waffles as a great party appetizer.

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  29. Mmmm...these look like Liege waffles. I love them. Paired with the Salmon this sounds like a terrific dish :)

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  30. A creative appetizer, for a brunch or a luxury breakfast!

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  31. I love kokurek. We got their boudin sausage last time. Nom. And now I really want some smoked salmon. Thanks.

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  32. These little waffles look adorable and delicious. I may have to attempt a BiteSized version of your recipe!

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  33. Makes me want to invest in a waffle maker - but where to put it? You can't go wrong with Dorie. Beautiful pix!

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