We needed something special for this dreary, snowy afternoon… the first day together that Cat and I have had in over two weeks! So, I decided to make some savory brunch waffles, filled with carmelized onion and smoked turkey, Monterey Jack and Parmesan cheese, then to top them off with some cheesy scrambled eggs.

The smoked turkey breast was just supermarket deli meat: nothing fancy, just very thinly sliced. I chopped it up even more finely, and fried in a little olive oil until carmelized and relatively dried out; I didn’t want too much excess oil in the waffle batter.

For the batter, I eschewed my normal yeast-risen recipe, and went with a light and fluffy base with beaten egg white and corn starch, to help maintain the waffles’ texture around the added weight of the turkey & onions and the added shredded cheese. I used white whole wheat flour, as I think it makes for a lovely texture. I cooked the waffles on the “done-est” setting on my waffle iron, then transferred them to a 200°F oven for about ten minutes to crisp up some more.

To serve, I drizzled a little maple syrup between two waffles and topped with scrambled eggs with plenty of Parmesan cheese. Yum!

Waffle batter:

• 1 1/2 cup white whole wheat flour
• 1/2 cup cornstarch
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1 tsp. baking powder
• 1/2 tsp. baking soda
• 1 1/2 cups buttermilk
• 1/2 cup whole milk
• 2/3 cup vegetable oil
• 2 eggs, separated
• 2 tbsp. sugar
• 1/8 tsp. liquid smoke
• 1/2 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
• 3/4 cup finely shredded Parmesan cheese
• 1 cup deli smoked turkey, finely shredded
• 1/4 cup finely diced onion
• 1 tbsp. olive oil

Heat the olive oil over medium-high heat; add diced onion and smoked turkey and saute, stirring frequently, until slightly carmelized and relatively dry. Set aside to cool. When cool, toss with shredded Monterey Jack and Parmesan cheeses.

Whisk the egg whites with the sugar and the liquid smoke until soft peaks form. Set aside.

Sift together the flour, cornstarch, salt, baking powder, and baking soda into a large mixing bowl. Add the cooled turkey & cheese mixture; toss to combine evenly.

Combine the buttermilk, whole milk, vegetable oil, and the egg yolks, and mix well. Pour the milk mixture into the flour mixture and stir gently with a spatula just until combined. Very gently fold the egg white mixture into the batter in several batches, about a half-cup at a time.

Preheat waffle iron. Figure about 3/4 cup of batter for a seven-inch iron. Cook until medium-dark, and transfer to a 200°F oven for at least 10 minutes before serving.