Like many Maine families, our home becomes a “bed and breakfast” during the summer time. Friends and relatives all want to visit our beautiful state, enjoy the sunny days and balmy nights. August becomes a whirlwind of experiences: clam digging and lobster bakes, farmer’s markets and festivals, hikes along the shore and boat trips to Isle au Haut.
As expected, my life is centered around the kitchen, preparing feasts and treats for an assortment of varied eating styles and preferences. It’s a fun and fascinating challenge satisfying this wide range of appetites, all while cooking with seasonal, local, Maine ingredients.
Our three daughters with their respective partners was our last batch of visitors, and the consensus was waffles and sausage for breakfast. While my husband prepared the rabbit sausage, Laurel, our oldest, took charge of the waffles.
The recipe for Oat and Corn Waffles is one adapted from “The Maple Syrup Cookbook.” Be sure to use old-fashioned or rolled oats, steel-cut oats would work well also. The blender grinds them into a finer texture that is more pleasing to the palate. Be sure to allow time for the batter to sit before baking in a hot waffle iron.
The flavor combination of oats and corn is a perfect foil for freshly harvested, Maine wild blueberries. Transparent apple slices sautéed in butter and cinnamon would be delicious also. Drizzled maple syrup, topped with your favorite fruit and served with savory sausage, these breakfast waffles feature the best of our short, but sweet Maine summers.
Oat and Corn Waffles
Ingredients
- 1¼ cup rolled oats
- ½ cup cornmeal preferably stone-ground
- ½ cup all purpose flour
- 4 teaspoons baking powder
- 3 tablespoons maple syrup
- 2 large eggs at room temperature
- ½ cup heavy cream
- 1 cup milk
- 6 tablespoons Melted butter
Instructions
- In the bowl of your food processor or blender, process the rolled oats until fine. It is o.k. if some flakes remain. In a large bowl, mix with the cornmeal, flour and baking powder.
- In a separate bowl, beat the eggs until frothy. Add the maple syrup, cream, milk, and melted butter. Make a well in the dry mix, add the liquid ingredients, and stir until just smooth. Let the batter sit for several minutes to allow the liquid to absorb. Cook on a hot waffle iron.
- Makes 8 servings.