OK, I’m sure you’re all thinking, “Again with the waffles!”, yep again. Can’t help myself, as we all know I loves me a good waffle.
I have ongoing conversations with a friend about oatmeal pancakes, the kind where you soak the oats overnight, or sometimes using leftover steel cut oats as part of the batter. Using soaked or cooked oats provides a dense satisfying texture. Since we had recently got together and explored our quest for the perfect oat pancakes again I decided to soak some oats and play around today.
I wanted a waffle because I wanted the crispiness that comes with a waffle instead of the soft texture of a pancake. And just for the heck of it, I didn’t add any leavenings. Just curious to see if it makes a difference, and it doesn’t. I debated what kind of flour to add to the batter. I could have added oat flour to make a 100% oat pancake, I also could have added coconut or almond flour to make these gluten free pancakes, but as I was riffling through my flours in the freezer the barley flour was on the top, so I thought, what the heck!
Greeks use barley flour in a lot of toasts or rusks, but it’s not something used often in America. I like barley, both as grain and a flour, it’s nutty and substantial and I like to use it to make risotto. However, barley is not gluten free, so if gluten free is what your after, go with coconut, quinoa, or nut flour.
The apricot compote came by spontaneously last weekend. I found myself with an abundance of about-to-be-too-ripe apricots, so I cut them into chunks, threw them in a pot with sugar and a vanilla bean and simmered them until they thickened. I stirred in the juice of one orange and the zest of half a lemon and my compote was done. I’ve been enjoying it over yogurt and cottage cheese this week, or today as a topping on my waffle with a dollop of yogurt. It’s also good over ice cream or served with goat cheese or a brie on crackers. The compote will last about two weeks in the refrigerator, or longer in the freezer if you want to enjoy it after apricots brief season has ended.
Waffles
1 cup oats
1 cup almond or regular milk
1 egg
1 T melted coconut oil, or butter, or olive oil (or walnut oil would be good too)
1 T coconut (or other) sugar
1 t vanilla
¼ t salt
1 C barely (or other) flour
Mix the oats and almond milk together and cover and refrigerate over night.
When ready to cook the waffles combine the soaked oats with the egg, melted coconut oil, coconut sugar, vanilla, and salt and mix well.
Add the flour and stir to combine, if the batter is too thick thin with a touch of almond milk or water.
Heat a waffle iron according to the manufacturers instructions, lightly oil or butter the waffle iron and spoon half the batter onto the iron and cook until the waffle is golden brown.
Serve hot with butter and maple syrup, or with apricot compote and Greek yogurt…or all of it together…what the heck!
This makes two large waffles (my iron makes an 8-inch round waffle. I think a half a waffle per person is plenty since this is such a hearty waffle.
Apricot Compote
8-10 ripe apricots, washed, pitted, and cut into quarters
1 C sugar
2-inches of a vanilla bean
juice of one orange
zest of ½ a lemon
Place the apricots, sugar, and vanilla bean in a medium pot over a high heat.
Stir constantly until the sugar dissolves. Once the sugar has dissolved bring to a boil and simmer until the mixture has thickened and the apricots are very soft, about 5-8 minutes depending on how ripe your apricots are.
Remove from the heat and stir in the orange juice and lemon zest. Cool completely and store covered in an airtight container in the fridge. You can also freeze this for several months.
You can add a cinnamon stick, or star anise, or other flavorings to this compote. Makes about 3 cups.
