Garlic Basil Waffles with Roasted Tomatoes

Waffle MoFo brainstorming is all giggles and no shits. I eyeball a random foodstuff on my kitchen counter while pondering, “Would a stupid person use this to make waffles?” And if so, I do use that thing. Thus the reason I have garlic breath powerful enough to flavor french bread.

Day 4 means it’s time for some savory fare. While I, Emily, will happily eat sweet foods for consecutive lunches as Blogger Most Dutiful, Stomach gets snarky. As the masticated syrup-’n-waffle pulp slides down my gullet, Stomach belches, “‘Da fuck, Esophagus? Not more of that sugar-fucked flour!” Today’s lunch pleased the fictional potty mouth quite handsomely.

At the Davis farmer’s market yestereve, I basil-faced it. Yes, that’s exactly what it sounds like. Nose engulfed in a foliage of aromatic green, I surrendered with a waffle white flag. A waffle founded on the categorical goodness of roasted garlic with accents of peppery basil and olive oil.

Add some roasted cherry tomatoes (last of the season, I eulogize) and you’re practically stewing marinara sauce–garlic, basil, olive oil, tomatoes–here. Would a stupid person eat waffles with a marinara flavor profile? Yes, trumpets this stupid person, yes they would.

Takes 1 1/2 hours
Makes 3 waffles

1 head garlic
4 T olive oil
1 panier cherry tomatoes
1 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1 1/4 cups plus 2 T almond milk
fresh basil: 2 heaping T minced, 2-3 T chiffonade, plus a few leaves reserved for garnish
vegan butter (optional)

1. Preheat oven to 400 °F (200 °C). Peel away the outer layer of the garlic bulb skin, leaving the skins of the individual cloves intact. Using a knife, cut off 1/4 to a 1/2 inch of the top of cloves, exposing the individual cloves of garlic. Drizzle 1 tsp of olive oil over the head, using your fingers to make sure the garlic head is well coated. Wrap in aluminum foil and place in the oven to roast for 40 minutes or until cloves feel soft when pressed.

2. De-stem the cherry tomatoes and place in a shallow baking dish. Drizzle with a teaspoon of olive oil (eyeball it!) over the tomatoes, ensuring even coating with your hands. Add salt and pepper to taste. Cover with foil and place in oven ten minutes after the garlic. Roast for 15-20 minutes or until tomatoes are soft.

3. Preheat waffle iron. In a large mixing bowl, sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Popping the cloves of garlic out of their skins, mash well in a medium mixing bowl. You want the garlic pulp as smooth as possible. Add almond milk & 2 T olive oil to the garlic and whisk extremely well. Add wet ingredients to the dry and combine together gently. Fold in the 2 T minced basil.

4. Pour 3/4 cup batter onto the hot griddle and cook until golden; mine took 5 minutes, but cook according to your waffle iron’s instructions. While waffles are cooking, drain the roasted cherry tomatoes and combine gently with the 2-3 T chiffonade basil. Taste for salt & pepper and serve on waffles with a pat of vegan butter.