Chestnut and mushroom savoury waffles with rocket and bachka salami

Tamara West

Here’s my Vinnies twist on mushrooms on toast. For me, chestnuts signal the natural start of autumn. They are a super nut — full of vitamins, fibre, rich in minerals, low in cholesterol and a great source of protein. They combine brilliantly with mushrooms and the spices from the bachka salami which you can replace with chorizo or other spiced sausage if you can’t find it.

Waffles

2 cups	Flour (Main)
1 tsp	Salt
1 ½ tsp	Baking powder
2	Eggs, separated
150 ml	Water
70 g	Butter, melted
150 ml	Milk

Toppings

½ cup	Salami, small diced bachka, or use chorizo or other spiced sausage
2	Field mushrooms, large (Main)
4	Button mushrooms (Main)
4	Swiss brown mushrooms (Main)
3 Tbsp	Rice bran oil, or clarified butter (also known as ghee)
1 cup	Chestnut, fresh, or chopped macadamias or other nuts (Main)
2 cups	Rocket, washed and picked
4 Tbsp	Creme fraiche

Directions

1. For waffles, sift flour, salt and baking powder into a bowl and make a well in the centre.
2. Separate eggs and mix yolks, butter and milk together. Pour liquid ingredients into well and quickly mix together without beating.
3. Beat egg whites until stiff, and fold into batter.
4. Heat a waffle iron and cook a ladlefull of mixture at a time. If you don't have a waffle iron, cook as you would pancakes in a frying pan.
5. On a medium heat gently cook salami in a frying pan until it starts to caramelise; remove from pan and keep warm on the side.
6. Clean mushrooms with a damp paper towel and slice. Cook in batches in a very hot frying with rice bran oil until caramelised. Add chestnuts and gently warm through. Season to taste.
7. Add rocket leaves to pan and stir in for 30 seconds until just starting to wilt. Add salami back in.
8. Place waffles on hot plates, serve mushrooms on top and garnish with creme fraiche. Finish with a little freshly ground black pepper.