Have you ever thought, if only I could make kale chips right now…but all I have is a bunch of kale, and this waffle iron?!
You’re in luck! Daniel Shumski, formerly known as the blogger behind the Waffleizer and now the author of Will It Waffle?, has penned 53 recipes to bake, sear, steam and press everything from pineapple to falafel using a waffle iron. While the concept may originally seem far-fetched, it’s a perfect gift for college-bound students. Below is his recipe for Crispy Sesame Waffled Kale.
Excerpted from Will It Waffle? 53 Irresistible and Unexpected Recipes to Make in a Waffle Iron
Iron: Belgian or standard
Time: 30 minutes
Serves 2
1 bunch kale, washed and thoroughly dried, thick stems removed
2 teaspoons sesame oil blend or neutral-flavored oil, such as canola or grapeseed, mixed with a few drops pure sesame oil
Kosher salt, to taste
Cast your mind back to the early twenty-first century. . . . Had you heard of kale? Possibly you had. Was it flying off supermarket shelves? No.
Kale is the little cruciferous vegetable that could. It has caught on in a way that cabbage never did. (No one is pushing cabbage as a superfood. Yet.) I like kale, but working new vegetables into your routine can be a little daunting. That’s where kale chips come in. The leaves of kale come out satisfyingly crispy and slightly dimpled by the grid of the waffle iron. Kale can trap dirt in its wrinkled leaves, so it’s important to wash it well. It’s also important to dry the kale thoroughly, or it will steam in the waffle iron and won’t get crispy. A salad spinner works well for this task. Some supermarkets carry bagged kale already washed and prepared. The kale will cook down significantly, so start with more than you might think you need.Sesame oil is available toasted and untoasted. Either one works in this recipe. Pure sesame oil is potent, so it’s sometimes sold diluted. If your sesame oil is undiluted, you’ll want to dilute it with a neutral-flavored oil.
1. Preheat the waffle iron on medium.
2. In a large bowl, toss the kale with the oil to coat.
3. Place as much of the kale as will fit in the waffle iron, covering the grid. Some overlap is fine, so don’t worry too much about placing it in a single layer. The kale will cook down considerably, so it need not all lie flat; the pressure of the waffle iron lid will see to that.
4. Close the waffle iron lid for 30 seconds, then open and redistribute the kale for a more even layer. Close the lid again. After 8 minutes, check on the kale. Some pieces may finish before others. Remove those pieces and place them on a plate. It may take up to 15 minutes for the kale to become crispy and chiplike.
5. Repeat Steps 3 and 4 with the remaining kale.
6. Sprinkle with salt and serve.
Variations
Use a neutral-flavored oil, such as canola or grapeseed, in Step 2 and sprinkle the finished kale with any of the following:
Seasoning salt
Cumin
Smoked paprika
Lemon pepper
Chili powder with a squeeze of lime
Sesame seeds